She read from reports about the amount and types of bacteria found on the faucet handles and inside door handles of public restrooms . . . following that up with slides of cultures taken from the "average" public restroom faucet or door handle.
After teaching the proper way to wash hands (friction, friction, friction), she taught a hand-washing method that involved three paper towels: one to dry your hands (while the faucet is left running); one to turn off the faucet; and one to open the door (if you can prop open the door with a foot and throw the towel into a trash can by the door, fine; if not, take the third paper towel to the nearest trash can outside the restroom). Wash your hands and then turn off the faucet? What a waste of time! That faucet's the one you touched BEFORE you washed your hands, and you've added the germs/bacteria from everyone else who turned the water on. Wash your hands and then open the restroom door without using a paper towel? The 50% of people who don't washed touched that handled after using the restroom. You've just shaken hands with a dozen to a few hundred people who just used the restroom.
She said the worst situation was the McDonald's-type restroom, with only a hot air dryer. Lots of people who would otherwise wash their hands don't do so if no paper towels are available . . . and if you use the hot air dryer, you're more likely to quit drying while your hands are still damp. Damp hands + inner restroom door covered with crud from everyone who didn't wash after using the restroom = worst possible situation.
I use the method. My wife and kids think I'm paranoid -- but then again, they didn't see the slides of the petri dishes cultured from public restrooms.
bathroom faucets and door handles are disgusting. The average desk is worse according to this study.