All the talk of increased hand sanitation reminds me of something from my childhood

[The Genealogist]

When I was little and we'd go someplace to eat with a female member of my mother's family, there was a little routine. They all carried around aspirin bottles of alcohol in their purses. I was given some to clean my hands with. This was followed by wiping them off with Kleenex the had been stuffed in their purses. Not out of a little pocket packet, just ones that were jammed into their purses. I can't imagine how that would have been sanitary but they didn't want me using dirty public restrooms.

[lapfog_1]

1. my father took me into a number of public restrooms as a child

and taught how to flush the toilet and wash my hands and open the door without ever using my hands.

Just saw a doctor on Jimmy Kimmel teaching some of the same things... (hold on to the paper towel you used and open the bathroom door to exit with the towel in your hand... then drop the used paper towel).

Thanks Dad!

[The Genealogist]

2. You were taught well

[Ohiogal]

3. My mother taught my sister and me

to cover the toilet seat in a public restroom with toilet paper before sitting down. It's so ingrained in me, I still do it, if there aren't any of those tissue paper covers available. And you push the flush lever with your foot.

[alphafemale]

7. Pushing the lever with your foot is like hovering.

And leaving the splatters on the seat.

No regard for the next person at all.

[defacto7]

4. Just curious..

Were you given the alcohol and tissue regimen around 1957-8 or around1968 give a couple years or was that just a general thing? Those were pandemic years and I remember some extra concern during those times.

[The Genealogist]

5. This was late 70s into early 80s.

The behavior could be a holdover from past times.

[gratuitous]

6. I was in a delegation to Mexico some years ago

One of our first meals was in a nice, sit-down restaurant, and people were wondering what sort of sanitary protocols they should observe. Would it be insulting to our hosts to wash our hands before eating, and so forth. I whipped out my bottle of Purell and sanitized my hands. Several people kind of goggled at me. I shrugged and said, "I do this in restaurants at home all the time." Three or four more bottles were instantly produced, and all of us cleaned our hands.

I'd rather someone be offended (if they're going to be offended by a good hygiene practice) than for me to get sick.

[sl8]

8. Mom used spit on a napkin.

A couple of aunts did the same - lick a napkin, then wipe the dirty kid's face.

Everybody knows that mother's saliva is a natural disinfectant, but I'm not sure that applies to aunt saliva.

Even as little kid that didn't know anything, I was not a fan of the practice.

Mid 1960s.

[The Genealogist]

9. I think i got he old spit on a Kleenex and wipe the face treatment a few times too

Funny thing is they were germophobe, these ladies. I remember once,it being summer, hot as blazes outside, and washing my hair one morning. I had lots of hair then, thick, and it took a while to dry. My grandmother wouldn't let me out of the building until my hair was dry because i would get a cold.