I have succumbed to posting on AIBU!

There needs to be more understanding of the types of bacteria and viruses that are dangerous. Bacteria living in soil, say, do not generally find it easy to reproduce in the nourishing, warm, moist conditions of the human body. I never worried when my children tunnelled through the vegetable patch when they were young. 'Stuff' picked up off the floor is not really a problem unless there has been contact with animal faeces on shoes (toxoplasmosis is dangerous). Foodstuffs contaminated by pathogenic bacteria and left out in a warm area are another matter. Urine is not particularly 'germy' but it is sensible to take precautions around toilets and wash hands, although a quick rinse and a flap around of the hands to air dry them is not really good enough. It's all just common sense.

Those of us unlucky enough to have damaged immune systems need to protect ourselves though and our needs should also be taken account.

S! Hands!

I'm not at all concerned about germs.
Wash my hand after the loo and before cooking, and too greedy not to eat from bowls of food set out in public places.

Oops premature posting!!!

I struggle with public buffets, bowls of nuts, crisps in bars as I know people do not always wash their hands when using the lavatory. I have seen adults and children sneeze over food, wipe their noses and then pick over sandwiches, sausage rolls etc, I do not want their viruses.

Sarah, if I have a GC either in trolley or pushing it yes I do.

I am more than happy with my dirt, C and GC have "poo picked" stables or turn out field with one hand and had their sandwiche in the other!!!

I agree but disagree I am currently living with my 87 year old Mum who would go with your germ theory and says well I have got this far ! But she has no sense of hygiene. She handles raw food for her dog then wipes her hands on t towel wipes over services with same sponge as she wipes up with fridge filthy and don't get me started on out of date food and unrefidgerated ancient sauces. Food it seems can be frozen Indefinately and a sauce mix packet from 2004 has only just been parted with (reluctantly)
Does she get ill of. Purse she goes bouts of sickness and dirriha are greeted with must be something I ate! No it's your poor hygiene A few germs won't kill you? depends what they r and yes they can !

Is there any one like myself who cleans the handles of a super market trolley with an antiseptic wipe before using it?

I can't say I am over bothered about germs. As long as house reasonably clean- which it is I think we manage quite well & if we never came into contact with germs we wouldn't build up an immunity.
We have always had cats & sometimes dogs & we are a very healthy family so I must be doing something right.

I’m coming certainly not obsessed by worrying about germs but I did actually freak out the other day. We were at the checkout of our local store doing our weekly shop when it became apparent that the checkout girl had a cold. She then sneezed into her hand, blew her nose on a tissue and carried on touching all of my shopping.
Having had pneumonia earlier this year, the last thing I want is her cold. The bacterial wipes did come out on this occasion (not for the shopping but for my hands!)

I agree. There is a difference between being hygienic and careful and being prissy and neurotic. No one needs to see things in their own home under a scientific microscope.

My grandmother always said "Eat a peck of muck before you die" That was 80 years ago

Absolutely! I'm quite sure my cleaning would horrify the sellers of antibacterial products...a quick wipe here and there. We've had cat litter trays, cats sleeping on pillows, me (last week) cutting green layer of mould off a (perfectly OK) cheese scone inner...The thing is, does my dreadful lifestyle make me, hubby (& 4 yr old grandchild who visits) ill? Ever? Am I rife with infections, food poisoning etc? And the answer is no..I'm disgustingly healthy...so have no intentions on wasting time and £ on unneccessary (but money making) products. I get through a bottle of Dettol about every 4 months!

There is a woman who lives near to me who arises at 5.30a.m. every morning and cleans the house until 10.30. I am one of these people "It is said that housework never killed anybody but I'm not taking any chances" never been doing a lot of housework (but love ironing) and non of the five of us ever had anything untoward. The three boys played out in the garden - soil and sand - never became ill. People are obsessed with this germ business.

I've often thought many people are over the top with their hygiene routines. I think we need to come into contact with some germs to develop immunities to them. I grew up in an average mid income household. As children we washed our hands and faces with flannels, probably full of germs. We had never heard of hand sanitiser. We played in dirt and mud and came to no harm. There was a pot of home made soup on the cooker that lasted days. Think we just need to be sensible. I do try to avoid touching handrails etc when I'm out to avoid picking up a cold from someone else's germs.

"Germs" have become big business. Companies make masses of money out of pretending we can't allow a single one to survive.

I have never bought any of these expensive products, sprays or wipes. I am careful in public loos as to where I touch, and when travelling abroad I do use a hand gel, but that's about all.

Unless you are particularly vulnerable or immuno-compromised for medical reasons there is absolutely no point in any of them.

No wonder the immune systems of most people is low. Folk have paid too much attention to the manufacturers of anti bacterial products whose cry seems to be ‘use our product to save yourself from Germs.’ In tandem with the sanitisation of homes - no draughts and no fresh air - little wonder that children grow up suffering all types of ‘dis’eases. Edward Jenner would never have found a cure for smallpox Had he followed the dictates of modern advertising

Cruising is a slightly different situation as there are hundreds or thousands of people in a confined space for lengths of time. When Norovirus happens it travels very quickily. The ships I have been on have hand sanitizers at the entrance to dining areas & bars and entrance to the ship and and ask that they are used at all times but it is surprising how many people ignore the request.

There's being sensible and being over the top. As my Gran used to say "you've got to eat a peck of dirt before you die"
One thing I won't do though is buy food, such as bread and cakes that are uncovered and put for people to serve themselves, who knows how many people have touched it, sneezed or coughed near it.

Many thanks for the responses, I'm so glad that it isn't just me!

Beau your SIL will probably be having a few fits of the vapours before long, once that little chap starts to get adventurous!

i am of the opinion people have got far too obsessed with germs and anti bacterial products thus reducing immune systems and making illness far more rife. its an old thing but i grew up being face wiped with a dish cloth and spending hours playing in the mud i grew up very healthy indeed

I did get very OTT when I brought my DD2 out from hospital- she was 8 weeks premature, Milton everywhere!
Soon reverted to type though, we lived on a farm, had a dog and in those days all those bacterial wipes ect. hadn’t been invented.
Goodness knows how we all survived , in our case extremely healthily.
We also didn’t pollute the world with all those disposable items and products.

.

Immune systems develop healthily when the systems are challenged but it does seem impossible to convince some people that resistance is only acquired by challenge.

Of course there are limits....I would not have let my children play with faeces!... but mud pies etc part of their childhood.
That said, it isn't entirely a new obsession. I had both mumps and chicken pox as an adult because my mother kept her children firmly away from all possible illnesses.

The risk of getting ill from bugs in your own home is low, even if you have pets and are not very good at cleaning. You and your family all have an immune system that protects you from those everyday nasties. Washing hands, normal food hygiene, cleaning and of course fresh air is all that's needed

Because we all travel, even to school or shops that's where most illnesses are picked up. If you have a damaged immune system due to previous illness, pollution or very bad living conditions, that's when special attention to cleanliness is needed.

I admit I'm probably a bit over cautious with things like toilet door handles when out and supermarket trolleys as I have a phobia about being sick but I don't use antibacterial sprays very often and apart from the obvious precautions with my children and grandchildren as they were growing up didn't coat them with germ protection either. Most people are fast becoming dependent on all these sprays when good old fashioned soap and water would be much better - it's all to do with convenience when you think about it. We're all far more mobile than we used to be (now there's a germ ridden item if ever there was one!) so not always near a sink and water and hand dryers have taken over from the mess of paper towels which were much more effective at drying. Like War of the Worlds it will be a superbug that wipes out mankind one day!

Hands...both hands were washed!