Do you wash your hands after touching the garbage can?

[frugalnacho]

I get grossed out by touching the garbage can and want to wash my hands.  I got a trash can with a foot pedal specifically so I wouldn't have to touch the lid just to throw something away.  When I change the trash bag I also wash my hands.  When I touch the outside trash cans I also wash my hands.  My wife is the same way, but it seems like we are completely alone.  We've been watching our friends and family for several years now, and I have not witnessed a single person ever wash their hands after touching the trash.  We constantly have husband/wife conversation about how grossed out we are every time we see someone do it, which is every single time we get together with any friends and family, because garbage is just a part of life.  They all touch all over the trash cash (even ours with the god damn foot pedal!) and go about their business touching everything else.  My wife's cousin is town and staying with us and it's driving me nuts.  Instead of using the foot pedal she will reach over and open the lid, then immediately put her hand in the chip bag, or touch the silverware, or touch all the items in the fridge.  Or she will use the foot pedal, but then just rub her hand on the lid for fucking reason!

At family get togethers everyone is always touching all over the garbage can and never washing.  Especially when they are in the kitchen doing food prep.  Or the trash will get full, and they will replace the bag, and take the full bag to the outside garbage cans, then come in and continue with food prep without washing.  All my neighbors do the same thing.  I have witness them smoking while taking their trash cans to the curb.  I have also witnessed them eating while doing it. 

Am I just being a little OCD and germophobic?  Or are they all gross?

[onecoolcat]

Yes

[RWD]

They are all gross

[Monocle Money Mouth]

It depends on the trashcan. If it's a gnarly looking public trash can, particularly one with a door, yes. For example, there is an ice cream place around the corner from us that has a trash can where you have to push the door open to throw away your trash. That door is always smeared with ice cream, fudge, sprinkles, or whatever else the kids couldn't finish. I want to light my hands on fire to kill the germs.

At home? No. Most of what we throw away is dry and we compost all of our food scraps, so nothing gross is ever hanging out in our trash can. We also don't have any garbage cans with lids. Step cans usually have lower capacities, it's hard to get a bag in and out if it's a tall skinny one, and the foot pedal mechanism invariably breaks.

Honestly, I think you are being a germaphobe. Your keyboard at work is probably dirtier than your trashcan. You will not be able to escape all the microbes in this world. You shouldn't stress over avoiding them, washing them away, or worrying about other people touching them and spreading them. You've probably come into contact with many things that have been touched by people who have touched a trash can then immediately touched something you touched and never known about it.

[Metalcat]

We compost, recycle and don't have any meat in the house. I really can't fathom why I would be more concerned about touching my garbage can, which is nearly 100% unrecyclable plastic waste, over any other surface.

Do you wash your hands every time you touch your phone? The remote? The buttons on debit/credit machines? Door handles? Pets? Etc?

You are absolutely right, people are disgusting, but not particularly because they don't wash their hands after touching their home garbage cans.

Go ahead and be a germophobe, but be cautious about being a judgemental germophobe.

[Zola.]

hell yes.

[Papa bear]

No. That’s ocd territory.


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[former player]

I'm with Malkynn: my trashcan doesn't come into contact with anything that's going to do me harm.  But a fetish/OCD about the cleanliness of the trashcan in the home that one shares with one's spouse is far less crippling, functionally and societally speaking, than any other, so I'd hope OP can live and let live on this one.

[use2betrix]

Many things in life made me far less concerned about germs. They were:
1. Working in a kictchen and as a CNA at a nursing home
2. Spending a couple months in Asia eating street food daily
3. Spending 3 weeks motorcycle camping in Baja and eating tons of local food

I don’t consider myself “gross” but I’m far less concerned about germs as I once was.

[lentil]

Can't you just clean the trashcan lid, if it's freaking you out? To be clear, I don't share this particular phobia -- there's nothing magical about household trash that makes it full of dangerous germs, unless you're regularly rubbing raw chicken on your container or something. But even if you were, you could just clean it, and it would go back to being essentially as clean as the rest of your home (or a bit cleaner, even).

[kanga1622]

Always. I close the doors with my feet as I come inside after taking out the trash so I don’t get the doorknobs dirty. Even my kids know that you don’t touch the trash can. Our inside can is hidden in a cabinet. I can open the cabinet door with my toes and then grab the sliding mechanism with my toes to bring the trash can out. Keeps my hands clean and since no garbage touches the bottom slider, feet are clean too.

[rantk81]

Part of my cleaning routine at home is to spray the trash can cover with lysol and wipe it down.  I do still wash my hands if I touch it though :)

[Cranky]

In my house? No. What the heck are you putting in your trash?

I wash dishes all day and my hands are plenty clean.

[AliEli]

It's in the same category as the toilet for me - it's automatic, I wash my hands even if I've only walked in to the toilet. I'd be grossed out too if people were preparing food and not washing their hands after touching the rubbish 🤢

[APowers]

Sounds like the solution is to take the lid off of your wastebin. Then no-one has to touch anything unless they're taking out the trash.

[Sibley]

Sounds like the solution is to take the lid off of your wastebin. Then no-one has to touch anything unless they're taking out the trash.

We have a winner.

[John Galt incarnate!]

Yes, I wash my hands after touching garbage cans, garbage bags, and other things that may be germy.

[Metalcat]

Yes, I wash my hands after touching garbage cans, garbage bags, and other things that may be germy.

So...everything??

[John Galt incarnate!]

They are all gross

Much too often I've watched cashiers at the grocery store (and other stores)  lick their fingers to facilitate separating  a bunch of  bills that were in one of the cash register's trays.

The cashiers  are also handling raw produce, and worse, all kinds of packaged meat that sometimes drips its juices out of its packaging onto  the checkout's conveyor belt.

AND THEN THE CASHIERS  TOUCH MY ITEMS AS THEY SCAN THEIR PRICES.

Where is the vomit emoticon?

[John Galt incarnate!]

Yes, I wash my hands after touching garbage cans, garbage bags, and other things that may be germy.

So...everything??

Not everything, but if you are obliquely making the point that LOTS of things have germs on them I do concede it.

[Metalcat]

Yes, I wash my hands after touching garbage cans, garbage bags, and other things that may be germy.

So...everything??

Not everything, but if you are obliquely making the point that LOTS of things have germs on them I do concede it.

K...

Sure, some things are sterile. Not sure how oblique my statement was...

Maybe since I'm in healthcare my perception of pathogens is a little different than most?

[Parizade]

I have witness them smoking while taking their trash cans to the curb. 

wait...you witnessed your neighbor intentionally inhaling carcinogenic chemicals deep into their lungs and the only thing about it that grossed you out was the fact that they were touching a trash bag at the same time? I guess I do find that a bit strange.

Nevertheless, your wife's cousin is doing something that bothers you enough to vent on the forum about it. In her mind she is probably trying to be a helpful houseguest by pitching in with cleanup. If she knew how much it bothered you she would probably feel bad and want to stop annoying you. So find a kind and respectful way to tell her that you are a wee bit OCD and could she please try to be understanding and supportive of your struggle. A little self-deprecating humor might help.

[John Galt incarnate!]

Yes, I wash my hands after touching garbage cans, garbage bags, and other things that may be germy.

So...everything??

Not everything, but if you are obliquely making the point that LOTS of things have germs on them I do concede it.

K...

Sure, some things are sterile. Not sure how oblique my statement was...

Maybe since I'm in healthcare my perception of pathogens is a little different than most?

I think your perception  is surely heightened  because of your training and experience.

[frugalnacho]

Ours is not just a dry paper bin, we throw rotten food, meat, bones, and dirty diapers in it.  It's definitely fucking disgusting.  I'm not taking the lid off and having an open air stinky garbage can, that's also disgusting.  We do wipe it down on a regular basis, especially when people are coming over because no one seems to think trash is dirty and shouldn't be touched.  However I never see other people wipe their own trash down.  I do frequently see them open the lid, remove the bag and take it to the outside trash or dumpster, then come in and replace the bag and shut the lid, then immediately move on to touching food, etc without touching their hands.  I know the outside trash cans and dumpsters are dirty because there are varmints and bird shit other visible gross stuff on it all the time which they just transferred to their inside can/fridge/everything in their house.  My family is objectively disgusting and I was never raised to wash after touching the garbage, but I always thought it was gross and wanted to wash after handling garbage.  I thought my family was just a bunch of animals, but from all the people in my extended family, neighbors, wife's family, friends, coworkers, etc I have never witnessed anyone with the same mindset as me, with the exception of my wife.

Sometimes I do think I am a little OCD and germophobic by comparison to other people, even though it just seems like common sense and good practice  to me.  Wash your hands after touching garbage cans or toilets.  Wash your hands after touching public door handles.  Wipe your own door handles, phone, and remotes down on a semi-regular basis to not spread gross germs around.  I know I'm probably not going to get sick if I touch my indoor trash can lid and don't wash my hands, but it still grosses me out. But other times it just seems so clear cut to me that it's disgusting, like when a friend will help out by taking the trash out either while smoking a cigarette or immediately preceding smoking a cigarette (cigarettes being disgusting is a separate discussion).  I mean it's full of rotting trash, I can smell it, it smells like gross trash.  There are scuff marks and chew marks from animals (probably rats, raccoons, etc) trying to get into it.  I've seen maggots in that trash.  I've thrown dog shit in that trash can, while lugging it around the yard cleaning up dog shit.  To handle it and then touch your lips while smoking is the equivalent to just putting your lips straight on it.

I'm glad to see some of yall on the same page as me, because with the exception of my wife I am like 0 for 100 in observations with everyone I know.  No one seems to be bothered by touching trash cans.   I also know a fair number of people that don't wash after using the restroom.  Most do though, but they don't seem to have a problem touching things in the bathroom as long as they aren't actually going to the bathroom.  Like they will go in and open the toilet and flush a kleenex, and not wash since they didn't actually go to the bathroom. 

[Mississippi Mudstache]

Yeah, I wash my hands after changing the trash. But we don't keep a lid on our can, so I never have to touch it any other time. Everyone whose homes I regularly visit has a foot pedal lid or no lid, so it's not something I've really noticed. And I am more obsessive about washing my hands than most people.

[JLee]

My outside garbage can has bagged trash inside it and a handle on the outside.  My inside (kitchen) garbage can is clean because I put bags in it like a civilized person.

So no, washing my hands every time I touch it seems unnecessary.

[Metalcat]

Ours is not just a dry paper bin, we throw rotten food, meat, bones, and dirty diapers in it.  It's definitely fucking disgusting.  I'm not taking the lid off and having an open air stinky garbage can, that's also disgusting.  We do wipe it down on a regular basis, especially when people are coming over because no one seems to think trash is dirty and shouldn't be touched.  However I never see other people wipe their own trash down.  I do frequently see them open the lid, remove the bag and take it to the outside trash or dumpster, then come in and replace the bag and shut the lid, then immediately move on to touching food, etc without touching their hands.  I know the outside trash cans and dumpsters are dirty because there are varmints and bird shit other visible gross stuff on it all the time which they just transferred to their inside can/fridge/everything in their house.  My family is objectively disgusting and I was never raised to wash after touching the garbage, but I always thought it was gross and wanted to wash after handling garbage.  I thought my family was just a bunch of animals, but from all the people in my extended family, neighbors, wife's family, friends, coworkers, etc I have never witnessed anyone with the same mindset as me, with the exception of my wife.

Sometimes I do think I am a little OCD and germophobic by comparison to other people, even though it just seems like common sense and good practice  to me.  Wash your hands after touching garbage cans or toilets.  Wash your hands after touching public door handles.  Wipe your own door handles, phone, and remotes down on a semi-regular basis to not spread gross germs around.  I know I'm probably not going to get sick if I touch my indoor trash can lid and don't wash my hands, but it still grosses me out. But other times it just seems so clear cut to me that it's disgusting, like when a friend will help out by taking the trash out either while smoking a cigarette or immediately preceding smoking a cigarette (cigarettes being disgusting is a separate discussion).  I mean it's full of rotting trash, I can smell it, it smells like gross trash.  There are scuff marks and chew marks from animals (probably rats, raccoons, etc) trying to get into it.  I've seen maggots in that trash.  I've thrown dog shit in that trash can, while lugging it around the yard cleaning up dog shit.  To handle it and then touch your lips while smoking is the equivalent to just putting your lips straight on it.

I'm glad to see some of yall on the same page as me, because with the exception of my wife I am like 0 for 100 in observations with everyone I know.  No one seems to be bothered by touching trash cans.   I also know a fair number of people that don't wash after using the restroom.  Most do though, but they don't seem to have a problem touching things in the bathroom as long as they aren't actually going to the bathroom.  Like they will go in and open the toilet and flush a kleenex, and not wash since they didn't actually go to the bathroom.

I'm way more freaked out by restaurants that serve shrimp than touching garbage bins.

Actually...um...you should really probably avoid restaurants in general if you're antsy about germs...I've worked in a few and...well...yeah...

I wash my hands about 100 times a day and apply antibacterial hand sanitizer another 100 times a day, so I'm pretty down with the infection control, but really, the world is absolutely, unavoidably, utterly and disgustingly filthy. Especially people, we are soectacular incubators of pestilence.

This is coming from someone who regularly comes home from work and won't let my husband touch me because my hair has been lightly misted with human blood/fluids...of several people. It's delightful, really.

Even that doesn't freak me out as much as shrimp does. I'm not kidding.

Anyhoo, do your garbage bin hand washing, there's nothing wrong with it, but don't get too bent out of shape about it.

Shrimp and restaurants though, you might want to worry about.

[Johnez]

Yes. 99% of what goes in really isn't going to hurt me (coffee grinds, paper towels, banana peels), but I'd rather have clean hands and not have to worry then forget I tossed something like raw chicken pieces and walk around with dirty hands touching everything. I also have two babies that need constant changing and handling so it's more important to stay clean.

This reminds me of YouTube cooking videos where people handle the meat, then touch everything else. How do these people not get sick every time they freaking cook! Nuts. I specifically leave the meat handling for last,gather up all the spices and veggies first into bowls/containers, THEN cut up the meat. The lack of thought process 90% of the people around me have sometimes amazes/disturbs me...

[Metalcat]

Yes. 99% of what goes in really isn't going to hurt me (coffee grinds, paper towels, banana peels), but I'd rather have clean hands and not have to worry then forget I tossed something like raw chicken pieces and walk around with dirty hands touching everything. I also have two babies that need constant changing and handling so it's more important to stay clean.

This reminds me of YouTube cooking videos where people handle the meat, then touch everything else. How do these people not get sick every time they freaking cook! Nuts. I specifically leave the meat handling for last,gather up all the spices and veggies first into bowls/containers, THEN cut up the meat. The lack of thought process 90% of the people around me have sometimes amazes/disturbs me...

K.

Again, go ahead and wash your hands after touching your garbage, it's not a bad habit.

I'm just suggesting holding off on being super judgemental about others not doing it since it really isn't a big deal compared to the million other worse germ things people do on a daily basis.

If you are going to walk around judging people for how they mishandle and spread pathogens around, you're going to be utterly exhausted.

[Johnez]

I normally agree with you, and reading your previous post has given me a bit of pause here. The question I hesitate to ask now is....what is so bad about shrimp? I generally avoid seafood in restaurants. If it's a prep thing (which it sounds like)-I'm well paranoid enough knowing 2 people who's lives have been affected by "bad seafood."

Edit-MIL after a bit of research MIL may have developed an "adult" allergy to shellfish, probably not caused by bad seafood but reaction terrible and can't handle any now nonetheless...

[Metalcat]

I normally agree with you, and reading your previous post has given me a bit of pause here. The question I hesitate to ask now is....what is so bad about shrimp? I generally avoid seafood in restaurants. If it's a prep thing (which it sounds like)-I'm well paranoid enough knowing 2 people who's lives have been affected by "bad seafood."

Edit-MIL after a bit of research MIL may have developed an "adult" allergy to shellfish, probably not caused by bad seafood but reaction terrible and can't handle any now nonetheless...

Tests recently showed dangerous levels of antibiotic resistant bacteria in shrimp in Canada, and there is no system in place for testing for it systematically.

The shrimp themselves are fine to eat if cooked, it's the cross contamination and handling that's the issue, especially in restaurants where poorly paid, young, minimally trained kitchen workers who peel shrimp are simply not equipped to handle it. It's not the shrimp that are the risk, it's absolutely everything on the menu.

That said, I literally ate at a seafood restaurant last week. I'm not overly concerned, I'm just way more concerned than about touching my garbage bin, and have chosen to avoid it as much as reasonably possible. The dinner was a business event, so I sucked it up and deeply enjoyed the meal.

In terms of risks, it's all relative. I would literally rather lick my garbage bin daily than eat salad greens straight from a bag, which is something I see my co-workers do daily.

People stuff their faces with bacteria constantly.
I do it too, I don't hesitate to use my finger to remove lipstick from my teeth, which is also far more dangerous than licking the garbage bin, at least in my house, even if I've just washed my hands.

Yes, use your common sense, but again, don't get bent out of shape about it, because most people are actually pretty clueless about pathogens, so "common sense" doesn't necessarily translate to good hygiene practices.

Once you really understand it, you just have to accept the awful pathogen spreading behaviours of those around you because you really can't avoid it, so there's no point in judging or stressing about it. Just do your best to protect yourself.

And maybe get a garbage bin with a foot pedal?? Much cleaner. (Oops, thought you were OP, advice meant for them)

[Johnez]

Thanks for the follow up. Wasn't aware of that issue but it doesn't surprise me.

[frugalnacho]

Yes I realize restaurants (and pretty much everywhere else) are full of pathogens and people not following good hygiene practices and that also grosses me out so I just do what I can to avoid what I can.

I do have a garbage can with a foot pedal, and people sometimes use it, but those same people more often than not just use their hands to open it.

We have several friends/family with young children and they will often change a poopy diaper and and not wash afterwards (then proceed to open the trash lod by hand to throw the bagged diaper away).  I've even seen them rub aquaphor cream directly on the butthole after changing the poopy diaper, and simply wipe clean with a wipee as if that cleans their finger off.  When I see them do that I do insist they wash their hands.  I try not to be too judgemental about it, but Jesus Christ you just changed a poopy diaper and put your finger directly on a butthole, why do I need to tell you to wash your hands?!

[frugalnacho]

I also see a lot of the same people cross contaminate with meat.  It's like none of them have ever heard that meat has germs.  Touch raw pork, then touch the garbage can lid, then touch everything else in their kitchen.

[mountain mustache]

I guess I'm gross, because I don't know if I've ever thought about washing my hands after I take out the trash, or touch the trash can...I mean, if it was gross and my hands touched some nasty trash that wasn't just like, a coffee filter than sure, I'll wash after...I don't wipe down my door handles either, or my phone. I just didn't grow up that way, my mom was definitely not the kind to open bathroom doors with her foot or make us use hand sanitizer...ever. My dad was extremely anti- anti bacterial products when I was growing up because of their harm to the environment (he was a wetlands biologist) so it just wasn't part of our life. As an adult I definitely wash hands after using the bathroom, but not if I just go into the bathroom to fix my hair or something...if I'm cooking with meat, I actually prepare the meat first and get it cooking, then wash my hands, then prepare everything else. Other than that, I don't think there are too many reasons that I wash my hands during the day...just not a habit that was ingrained at a young age.

[former player]

Ours is not just a dry paper bin, we throw rotten food, meat, bones, and dirty diapers in it.  It's definitely fucking disgusting. 

If you are putting dirty diapers into your kitchen waste bin that is definitely disgusting.

[frugalnacho]

Ours is not just a dry paper bin, we throw rotten food, meat, bones, and dirty diapers in it.  It's definitely fucking disgusting. 

If you are putting dirty diapers into your kitchen waste bin that is definitely disgusting.

Where else would they go? Poopy diapers usually go straight outside unless the kitchen is full enough that it's about to be changed, then it can go in until the bag is changed.  But pee diapers go into it. Lots of other disgusting stuff goes into it also.  It's our main trash bag and all our waste goes into it.

[KBecks]

I think you are freaking yourself out by obsessing over other people's actions. OCD.

We constantly have husband/wife conversation about how grossed out we are every time we see someone do it,

This is what makes me feel it is obsessive for you.

[herbgeek]

The stuff that I'm scraping into the garbage can just came off of my plate.  How does it suddenly get so disgusting when I was just eating it?   I scrape into a plastic bag, which only sits in my kitchen for a couple of days.   I wash my trash receptable out several times a year just because (rarely is there anything visible to wash off).

In public, yeah, I wash my hands a lot.  I wash my hands immediately when I come in from having been in the outside world.  I wash after using the bathroom.  I wash before cooking.  I wash if I've touched anything that feels gross.  In my opinion, that is enough.

So yes, I do think you are a bit OCD and over estimating your risk from germs.   A bacteria free world also kills the good guys that keep our skin, and our digestive systems in good working order.

[Sibley]

...
However I never see other people wipe their own trash down.
...

Did you ever think that perhaps people are wiping the trash can down WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE GUESTS OVER?

The only reason I'm going to do a bunch of cleaning while I have guests over is if it's my parents (who are in a different category of guests) or something happened to make a mess. Even then, depending on what it is, I may just shove it out of sight. Just because you don't see it doesn't mean it isn't being done.

[the_fixer]

Yep wash my hands anytime I touch the trash or can.

We have one at work in a bathroom that drives me nuts. You get done with you business then wash your hands and the trash can has a little spring door on it that takes a good amount of force to put your paper towel in and is almost impossible to do without touching the can...

WTF who thought of this stupid contraption! You see people blow their nose, push the door to the trash can with the tissue and throw away their used tissue and other things that are dirty.

I have tried sliding it into just the very bottom but then like half of it is sticking out, I have tried taking another paper towel to push the door open but then I am stuck with that paper towel. Tried pushing it open with my foot but almost ended up on the floor :)

Only thing I have found is to take the paper towel with me and throw it away

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[AlotToLearn]

No but I was my hands every time I touch a public restroom door... so...

[Cassie]

I always wash my hands after touching garbage or recycling inside or out. I would be repulsived to see someone touching the garbage and then eating chips.

[Metalcat]

I always wash my hands after touching garbage or recycling inside or out. I would be repulsived to see someone touching the garbage and then eating chips.

I feel more repulsed seeing someone touch a dish sponge and then touch food, but it happens all the time.

[Cassie]

I also wash my hands after touching the dish cloth. Never use sponges as they are nasty.

[facepalm]

I wash my hands after washing my hands.


Seriously, I only worry about this stuff when I am cutting meat at home. And then everything gets washed/wiped down thoroughly.

[Chippewa]

That would drive me crazy!

I have a foot petal can in both the bathroom and kitchen. No touch necessary. If I touch the trash can... which is when I take it out to the outside bin, heck yes wash my hands. Totally not over-reacting imo. But I do have ocd tendencies.

[John Galt incarnate!]

I ALWAYS wash my hands after touching or petting an animal.

Do you?

[fuzzy math]

OP, you're going to absolutely die inside once your baby is mobile and licking the floor or finger painting with his/her own shit. Now might be a good time to practice mindful meditation and start to unclench a bit.

To the person who says they wash their hands after touching the recycling... my recycling is paper, glass and soda cans. If my can wasn't dirty enough to wash while I was using it, why would I need to wash my hands when I place it in the recycling bin? It reminds me of my oldest kiddo who finds nothing wrong with eating off a plate, but 5 minutes later when its time to rinse the plate and put it in the dishwasher "GROSS IT HAS FOOD ON IT!!!" and tries not to touch the remnants of food on the plate.

[Cranky]

Wait - my dishcloth has been in hot soapy water while I am washing dishes with it and then rinsed in hot water. It is literally washed every time I use it (and I change every day or so.) Why would I wash my hands after I have used it to wash something else?

Plus my inside trash is under the sink and doesn’t have a lid. My outdoor can sits in the sun and the rain and the cold, and I have a very hard time seeing how it is germier than anything else I touch.

I do wash my hands whenever I come home from the store. I’m way more worried about germs from other people than from my wastebasket.