I am more afraid of the sink areas in public restrooms than most. I won’t touch anything in there, not counters, taps, towel dispensers, etc.
I use sanitary wipes on my hands, and won’t even touch the door going in, or going out.
So, I might be one of those OCD types who won’t wash her hands - try using the wipes or gels, a much safer option in my opinion.
I don’t even trust elevator buttons, shopping cart handles, or the handrails on stairs. My adult children laugh when they see me using my elbows to maneuver in public places.
But, I rarely get sick.
I use sanitary wipes on my hands, and won’t even touch the door going in, or going out.
There should be a law that all public bathroom doors open outward. I hate having to grab a handle that I know is filthy to get out of the bathroom.
Those wipes or gels do not kill everything, and you should never use them more than once between actual hand washings. Their ability to kill what they can kill is decreased the more often you use them--after the first time or two, you are basically just smearing around the residue from the last use.
To wash your hands in a public place, turn on the water and moisten your hands. Get the soap and work up a good lather, working it all over your hands and under the fingernails, for about 15-20 seconds. Rinse thoroughly. Get the paper towels and dry your hands, then use the towels to turn off the water. Use the towel to open the door, also. If you are lucky, the trash can is close enough to the door so that you will not have to walk around carrying dirty towels.
If you cannot use a paper towel to turn off the water, then use your wrist (you are less likely to touch your wrists to your face than your hands).
I used to give lectures on proper handwashing technique...
Ew, I’m kind of freaky about public restrooms also. I was in a Joann and couldn’t wait, woman came into the stall next to me and put her purse on the floor by the toilet. Gross!