Poor hygiene - is this a common "guy thing"?

[lovestruck818]

Men just suck, in general.

[carhill]

Like a Hoover

 

My wife complains exactly the opposite, that I'm too neat and tidy in the bathroom. My immune system ain't worth a shyte

[refurb]

Is this just a common guy thing?

 

 

YES! While using the washroom at work I'll watch guys come in, take a dump, then walk out without washing their hands.

 

I'd say less than half actually soap and wash their hands.

 

NASTY!!

 

RF

[moonshadow]

As a public health microbiologist, I can certifiably say this:

 

Your EX is absolutely disgusting and is definitely spreading disease by not washing his hands.

 

There are more diseases that can be transmitted through the fecal-oral route than through the air. And yes, fecal-oral is what it sounds like. You touch the surface that he does, wipe your face and well, you can figure out the rest.

 

And urine is not sterile. It's only sterile in the bladder. It is infected as it passes through the urinary tract.

 

I wholeheartedly agree, I know these things, too and that's why it grossed me out. His attitude, when I'd say something (because I just had to!) was basically a put-down toward me; that I was a germaphobe and ridiculous and basically making a mountain out of a molehill and that *i* was the one who had the issue. That made me wonder if this is such a common "male" behavior -- and how has he been this way for so long, didn't anyone every say something to him? Why can't he get it, how gross it is? It just seems so common sense to me and it has nothing to do with being an RN for 21 years; it's how I was raised, to me it's just basic hygiene. And to me, does someone who's half intelligent really have to be taught that you need to wash your hands after you take a crap, I mean, really? Doesn't it just feel like the "right" thing to do?

 

Handwashing is the one of the key ways to spread the transmission of disease, it's critical.

 

I think he's just a disgusting "child" who loves to rebel and do things that push your buttons, he thrives on that. He should be embarassed that at 37, someone even needs to tell him to wash his hands but he doesn't care.

[tincanman99]

I am actually surprised you being a woman and all you would tolerate being intimate with a man like this. Most women I know are very fastidious in their hygiene.

 

You should tell him that other men think he is disgusting and needs to clean up his act. It can be done in a nice way but he needs to do it for himself and you.

[carhill]

OP, ever see "Notting Hill"? When I read your OP, this came to mind:

 

 

 

Seriously

[Tomcat33]

While I always wash my hands I do think that while it may be gross it is probably not as harmful as people think. Urine is sterile and feces generally contains normal bacteria found all over the place. The problem is when you have an illness then you may have harmful bacteria in your urine or feces and pass this on without washing.

 

 

 

No the problem is the actual caca hands, think about it will you?

 

 

How come some people feel the need to justify this absolutely vile act?

[Trialbyfire]

After reading this thread, I feel sick.

 

"Plse note that dumping and urinating without washing will get you dumped. Your attention to this matter would be greatly appreciated".

 

Why are you still with him? It sounds like a bad case of Peter Pan/Wendy syndrome. Washing his hands has nothing to do with loving you enough or not. He's just gross.

[Star Gazer]

There are more diseases that can be transmitted through the fecal-oral route than through the air. And yes, fecal-oral is what it sounds like. You touch the surface that he does, wipe your face and well, you can figure out the rest.

 

I've seen programs on television and read countless studies that say kitchen sinks, doorknobs and elevator buttons are SO much dirtier AND dangerous than toilet seats.

[moonshadow]

I've seen programs on television and read countless studies that say kitchen sinks, doorknobs and elevator buttons are SO much dirtier AND dangerous than toilet seats.

 

True enough, and that makes sense. Think about all of the people who don't wash their hands after 'wiping'/using the bathroom....then they're going around touching things; phones, keyboards, doorknobs, elevator buttons, the handle on the water fountain, the staff fridge handle at work, etc. It's really quite gross. The #1 line of defense against a lot of illness is handwashing because our hands touch so many things.

[Tomcat33]

Yes well techincally the mouth is also a breeding ground for bacteria, a lot of deseases seem to originate from poor oral hygene, so keeping that in mind you should all just eat poo and save on groceries afterall the mouth is already dirty.

 

some of the posts are just getting ridiculous, sorry.

 

Back on the idea of what's up with this guy:

 

I agree with what TBF said his lack of personal hygene has nothing to do with whether he loves you or not he is simply a sick individual.

[Lizzie60]

I would say that, in general, women do wash their hands much more than men do...

 

The thing is.. eventhough we carefully wash our hands.. (I'm talking about the office)... the ones that don't are pulling the doors open (touching the knobs).. passing us files, etc... touching office supplies.. and I can go on and on...

 

By the way, your ex was a disgusting pig!... both my exes were neat freaks...

[roxy_1980]

I've seen programs on television and read countless studies that say kitchen sinks, doorknobs and elevator buttons are SO much dirtier AND dangerous than toilet seats.

 

That's because they are. Bacteria and viruses on toilet seats can't really infect you because they just touch the unbroken skin of your butt. Even STDs. There's no point of entry into the body, so they can't do anything. Toilet seat covers are basically a placebo for the paranoid.

 

As for the other common items (doorknobs, elevator buttons), how do you think they get there? People contaminate their hands, either by sneezing, coughing or using the facilities, don't wash their hands and then they go around touching everything. Handwashing is the most important thing to prevent the spread of illness and it's the easiest too.

[Gremio]

Oh really?

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/09/17/dirty.hands.ap/index.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/27/health/27wash.html

 

Like Fierce, I'm a people watcher. Just last week at an NBA game I used the ladies' twice. There's two long, long rows of stalls, but only about 6 sinks. I cannot tell you how many women I observed during those two visits coming out of their stall only to walk straight past me as I washed my hands at the sink - but still fixed their hair and applied LIP GLOSS!!! It's insane, but it happens!

 

And it's my understanding that more men are guilty of this than women, as the studies above suggests.

 

More than likely the article referred to taking a leak. I always wash my hands after deficating. Many men don't after peeing, which is fine by me. I don't touch my genitals while urinating.

[Nemo]

I think it's more important for a guy to wash their hands before they take a leak. They want to avoid contaminating their penis, and if they wait to wash after doing the deed, the horse has already bolted.

[PrincessPeach]

Okay... so it isn't extremely uncommon I don't think to not wash your hands after using the washroom fopr either gender, but I'd still say there are more people that do than don't.

 

I think a lot of people are of the mentality "When other people don't do it it's disgusting; but when I don't do it it's okay."

 

As far as wiping goes... almost everyone wipes. Obviously I can't check this first hand, but I can't imagine much more than a small percentage not wiping! We women need to wipe every time (at least I do) and men either have to wipe or shake themselves off... which requires actually touching themselves down there, increasing potential germ contact with the hands!

 

But what is really gross and I think rare in your case is that this guy doesn't even OWN the things necessary to keep clean! No toilet paper, hand towels or soap?! I personally don't know anyone without these essentials and it is not okay to not have these things and have guests over.

[moonshadow]

 

But what is really gross and I think rare in your case is that this guy doesn't even OWN the things necessary to keep clean! No toilet paper, hand towels or soap?! I personally don't know anyone without these essentials and it is not okay to not have these things and have guests over.

 

I know, I totally agree. I wouldn't be at all surprised if that empty bottle of liquid handsoap in his bathroom is the same bottle I bought a year ago, back when we were still together.

 

Back when we were together, although we didn't live together (I own my own home and live about 5 minutes away from him), I'd often spend the night or spend the weekend at his place. For my own sake, I'd clean his bathroom and always ensure there was toilet paper and a clean hand-towel and soap because if I didn't do this, it just wouldn't be done.

 

It's ironic.....he used to make smart comments to me when he'd come to my place...if he saw a basket of clothes sitting by my laundry area, tell me what a slob I was......but they were CLEAN CLOTHES I just hadn't folded yet and they just happened to sit out in the open there because unlike him, I didn't have laundry in my basement; my laundry area is on the main floor (I have a stackable washer & dryer that's in a closet right next to the half bathroom downstairs/right by the door that goes into my garage). He used to insist they were dirty clothes and what a pig I was. Trust me, I would never leave dirty clothes anywhere, surely not for guests to see, come on! But in his house? His laundry area was in his basement......and it looked like a hurricane hit it. He'd just toss dirty clothes down his basement stairs until the stairs (13 of them) were covered, you'd almost break your neck to get down there. He'd have piles of dirty work clothes and non-work clothes all over his laundry room floor, undies with major skidmarks on them (he sometimes wore them, in the winter when it was really cold)........what a horrible mess. But that was "okay" and "acceptable" because nobody could see this mess....but he'd make me feel like a total slob for having one laundry basket of clean but unfolded towels and such upstairs in my home.

 

Stupidly, I often helped him do laundry because he seemed to let it pile up to the point where it was unmanageable. If I had a day off I'd do 5-6 loads for him, fold it all, put it away. That's just me (a fool).

 

I used to clean his bathrooms, too...mostly because I was grossed out with the p*ss on the seat and his used kleenexs and q-tips all over the floor (guess he couldn't hit the garbage can).

 

arrogantly though, he'd always brag about what a clean home he had. Puhlease. When I was over there yesterday I couldn't believe what a total pig-sty it was. That's why i didn't even use the washroom; I held it (full bladder) until I got home to my house LOL

 

This is also a guy who'd take a big overflowing bag of garbage from beneath his kitchen sink, sit the can up on the COUNTER.....tie up the bag (it stunk) and then not even bother washing his hands. I used to rag on him about that, that's just gross. he just wasn't very clean but loved to brag about how great and clean he was. uh huh.

[catastrophe]

Nemo has a point, kind of. A lot of our immune systems are stunted from lack of exposure. The same way overuse of antibiotics weakens an immune system.

 

But not washing after a poop, that's just gross. I couldn't shake hands with that dude. ever. ugh.

[Alpha Female]

So this is the type of guy you attract and date? Is this how life is in the double-wides? Thanks for the glimpse.