We all know a germophobe or two.  The friend who disinfects absolutely everything. The fiend that looks at you as if you are inviting a bout of E-Coli virus if you don’t wash your hands after you come in from a shopping trip to the mall. We are getting cleaner as a society, 85% of people wash their hands after using a public bathroom.

  That’s the highest percentage since 1996. But the results are different depending on where the public bathroom is . . . especially for men.

 At the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, 98% of women and 88% of men washed their hands after using the bathroom, which is good.

 But it was lower at Grand Central Station in New York, as you might expect. Only 83% of women and 77% of men washed their hands after using the bathroom. No wonder railroad companies are having trouble.

 And apparently sports venues gross out women, but not men. At HSBC in Buffalo, 98% of women washed their hands after using the bathroom, but only 65% of men did. Watching the Sabres last  year makes me feel kind of dirty, too.

 The interesting part of this study found out how many people CLAIM to wash their hands . . .

 96% said they wash their hands after using a public bathroom . . . which is about 10% too high according to the observational study. Our paranoia has accomplished one thing that we’ve never seen before…super bugs.  Bugs that laugh at the Lysol. . 

  82% said they wash their hands after changing a diaper . . . 77% said they wash before eating or handling food . . . 42% claimed to wash their hands after petting a dog . . . 39% claimed to wash their hands after coughing or sneezing.

 And 27% said they wash their hands after they handle money.  That’s not something that I’ll have to worry about I guess.