In the world of RV travel, where restrooms are trees and shrubs and hygiene is a judgment call, our RV readers have spilled the beans (hopefully not the soap) on their bathroom habits. In a recent survey that dives deep into the soap opera of sanitation, we asked the burning question: “Do you wash your hands after EVERY time you use the bathroom?” The results? Let’s just say, cleanliness might be next to godliness, but in the RV universe, it’s also next to a lake, a tree, or the occasional fence post.
At the time of writing, the survey revealed intriguing statistics on the handwashing practices of RVers:
- 30 percent of men adhere to the practice of washing their hands after every bathroom use.
- 47 percent of men, however, admit to skipping this hygienic ritual on occasion.
- 13 percent of women consistently wash their hands after using the bathroom.
- 10 percent of women confess to occasionally neglecting handwashing.
In our poll post, we said we didn’t expect many comments. But (again, at the time of writing), 30 of you left your thoughts. Here’s what you had to say:
Bill Byerly, adopting a pragmatic approach, remarked, “When inside yes, outside, who knows 🫣.”
Cancelproof emphasized the challenges faced during dry camping, stating, “Sanitary practices are important, but do we wash our hands every time we pet the dog or touch the picnic table? Judgment calls when dry camping as water is sometimes a luxury. I keep wipes in all of our vehicles. I’m still a pretty good aim and still prefer a tree, a shrub or a fence post, especially when dry camping.” He continues, “It’s cash that gives me the heebeegeebees but washing my hands every time my hand hits my pocket? Not practical.”
Neal Davis, at the age of 66, states, “It is easier for me to imagine many scenarios that require me to wash my hands after every bathroom use now than it was at age 26.” This highlights the evolving nature of personal hygiene habits over time.
Glenda Alexander shared a meticulous approach, saying, “It’s extremely rare for me to not wash my hands after using the toilet. I always use sanitizing wipes whenever I can’t wash my hands.” Yes, Glenda, there are always alternative hygiene measures available when traditional handwashing is not feasible.
Ed K. states humorously, “Depends on how close the lake is to the tree I am using.”
James A. LaGasse brought a global perspective, having taught sanitation and hygiene in isolated villages around the world. He writes, “I don’t like shaking hands because of all the people I observe not washing their hands before leaving the restrooms.”
Dana shared an intriguing workplace observation, noting a significant difference in soap usage between men and women, raising questions about hygiene awareness and practices among different genders. She says, “My little part-time job requires me to refill the soap dispensers in our public restrooms (also used by employees…small retail business). I replace the women’s soap approximately once per month, while I replace the men’s soap once every 3-4 months. Mind you, we have many more male employees than female, and many more male customers than female. This tells me A LOT!!! Especially when considering that men have to get more ‘up close & personal’ when using the facilities than women do, if you catch my drift. Ugh.”
For those who get back to the vehicle only to find their baby wipes have dried up, or their hand sanitizer run dry, perhaps take these little soap sheets to the lake and rinse up.
##RVT1140
Ewww the AI ads that pop up on this page! Google AI is bombarding my pages this morning No.1 and No.2 challenges.
Please check your percentages! Women who wash percentages should be 57% and 43%. You’re calculation includes men…
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A security guard at my local Walmart didn’t wash his hands on the way out and went back to checking shopping carts as people left the store. I complained that I didn’t want him touching my purchases
I wash! I can’t tell you how many times, women do not wash their hands, this happens ALL THE TIME! I’ve seen a mother and her brood all walk out without washing. Many of those who do wash don’t do it right, then they put their wet dirty hands under the blower, ugh.
FYI for those who care, wet surfaces like your wet hands will pick up more bacteria from surfaces, than dry hands will. Think of that door handle the person who didn’t wash their hands, used. I ALWAYS use a paper towel, shirttail, sleeve, or TP to get out of a public washroom.
I ALWAYS, even years before Covid used wipes to wipe down a grocery cart.
I’m a retired RDH
I’m with you Jane. Paper towel or tissue for the door knobs everytime. I even wipe my own steering wheels with wipes frequently. The older I get the worse it gets.
As a new truck driver in a TA truck stop I witnessed a driver come out of a sit down stall, and walk past the sinks. As I washed up and left I saw him at the food bar filling his plate with food, handling the food bar utensils with the same hands he left the restroom without washing. I never ate off the food bar again, I’ll order a meal the waitress brings.
…and pray to God that the cook washed his hands!!! 😉
Thank you, RV Travel. I think that your review of the results should be worded differently. It isn’t 13 percent of the women wash their hands every time. It is 13 percent of the respondents were women who washed their hands every time. 🙂 Alternately apply those percentages for women to the total respondent number and calculate the percentages for women, as Kelly F did in the earlier comment. 🙂
I don’t agree with the men being more “up close and personal” comment. My equipment has been inside my nice clean underwear all day, and gets put right back there with dry hands. Women (I assume) use toilet paper, making hand washing more necessary. I do agree that wet hands attract more dirt and germs, and am reluctant to wash my hands if towels aren’t available, a common occurrence.
Old engineering joke: the difference between a water treatment plant operator and a sewage plant operator is the sewage plant operator washes his hands before he goes to the bathroom.
Running joke in my home state of Indiana when I guy stands up to go #1 then wash’s his hands we always say you must have gone to Purdue because at IU they teach us not to pee on our hands lol but the fact is it doesn’t matter male or female if you go #2 you SHOULD WASH YOUR HANDS feces can and does go through up to 26 plys of TP (I know this from an article I recently read) no matter how careful you gonna get some of it on your hands, hate having to sound like I’m talking to a toddler but if you go #2/3 always and I mean always wash your hands even when one dry camp or not! the life you save may be your own Ecoli kills and or can make someone if not yourself very sick beside not washing sick