Do you wash your hands before, during & after prep & cooking?

GadgetGuy

GadgetGuy

(Formerly Shermie)
Joined
21 Aug 2014
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Location
Brighton, MA.
:headshake::stop:Yes I do!
I don't want any germs or bacteria spreading, so I follow this golden rule to be on the safe side!!
 
At home, no not when I am only preparing food for my husband and myself. We are both well accustomed to bugs and germs having lived on the road for 12 months where water was precious and you only had what you could carry. I don't find the need to wash hands before, during and after, just before will do unless it is something mucky than a quick rinse is all that is needed for me, at home.
But remember I am effectively vegan (plus eggs). I am not handling uncooked or cooked flesh or other products that need that kind of care. I am only preparing veg, tofu and eggs.

And neither of us has ever had issues with food poisoning, upset stomachs or anything else like that. Like I said, having lived on the road, we are used to bugs and the likes.
 
I don't like stuff on my hands so I wash my hands often when cooking, I try very hard to not put my hands on raw food, cold food and anything that is just messy to me. For a long time I would not make hamburgers if I had to touch the meat, I handle raw meal with forks and thongs. I wash the handles off in the sink if they are touched by hands that I think are not clean or raw food.
 
I normally wash my hands before getting the first pot or pan to cook in, and I also wash my hands after handling raw meat, such as poultry, beef & pork.
When done with the handling of the raw meat, I then wash my hands again, and if the cutting board was used all to cut the raw meat on, either I wash it, or just get a clean board to do the veggies on.
You can never be too safe these days, with all of the germs and diseases that are going around!! :wink:
 
I don't like stuff on my hands either. It's humid here and once the temperature warms up I need to wash my hands regularly throughout the day - I just hate that clammy feeling. When cooking though, you get stuff on your hands and if you don't wash them you transfer food or whatever to everything else you touch. The same goes for washing before you start to cook. What's on your hands may not kill you if you don't wash, but it can affect the taste of your food, and who would want that?
 
I was about to create a thread like this. Good thing that I saw this. The rule of my husband, as our cook, is to always wash your hands. When he is cooking, he washes his hands countless of times and he never forgets to dry his hands. That's another thing - wipe your hands dry before holding anything when you are cooking. That's his hygiene in the kitchen.
 
I'm kind of a germaphobe and I wash my hands all the time and most of the time I don't even realize that I'm doing it, because it's just a habit. But I think it's wise for anyone to wash their hands when cooking (before and after).
 
HornedDemoN said:
I'm kind of a germaphobe and I wash my hands all the time and most of the time I don't even realize that I'm doing it, because it's just a habit. But I think it's wise for anyone to wash their hands when cooking (before and after).
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I do wash my hands when handling meat or fish before handling anything else. I also (obviously) wash my hands if they get messy (with bread dough, or something). Otherwise not as I can't see why. If I was chopping onions and then garlic for example, I wouldn't wash hands in between. And I would use the same chopping board for all the veg I'm chopping if they are going into a casserole, without washing the board in-between.

The one thing I always find a nuisance is having to use a dirty hand to turn on the tap (faucet). That must mean you need to wash the tap afterwards! I use taps with levers, which helps a bit, as you can knock them on with the side of your hand or a bit thats not dirty. Why don't we have foot pedal operated taps!?
 
I seem to be washing my hands constantly, especially when in the kitchen. I definitely wash before I start to prep, then several times during the cooking process, depending on what I'm making or how much of a mess I've made. I like to clean as I go too, so my hands are always in the dishwater anyway.
 
Shermie said:
:headshake::stop:Yes I do!
I don't want any germs or bacteria spreading, so I follow this golden rule to be on the safe side!!
Click to expand...

I am a wash hand freak, which sometimes makes me one that is considered to be wasting water which I don't feel good about. I was wondering if I should try using some disposal gloves and see if it's a comfortable option for me.
 
While cooking I wash my hands all the time, every time. Cross contamination freaks me out and I would hate to make anyone sick. I make sure to wash before, during and after and would not want to eat food made by dirty hands either.
 
A 5-y-o little boy who lives in my friend's building across the hall, came over while I spent the weekend there.
He wanted to help me prepare one of the meals. He spent the weekend there also.

Anyway, he had to go use the bathroom. When he came out, we found out that he did not flush the toilet!!
I asked him to go back and flush the toilet. Even though he washed his hands when he was done, I had kindly explained to him that if he does not flush the toilet when he's done, people will think that he's nasty & that he does not wash his hands either.

He got mad, started pouting & crying! I softly told him that I was not trying to insult or embarrass him, but that I just wanted him to try to understand that so that people won't think that of him or talk about him behind his back. After a while, he got over it and I let him help me prepare the meal. :wink: :headshake::stop:
 
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