Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with handwashing

No, I don't want a free set of steak knives.

[ixia] — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 15:12:30 -0800

Remember those egg-shaped handle-powered washing machines that were advertised on infomercials in the '90s? Has anyone actually used one? Did it actually work? And in these electricity-conscious, water-saving times, has the concept of a human-powered hand-washing machine evolved into something a bit, well, less daggy? I'm conditioned to believe that anything advertised on infomercials must be absolute nonsense. But now I find myself in my little bachelorette apartment with no room for a washing machine.

The laundromat is fine for most things, but I have a slowly-expanding wardrobe of professional attire which really does need to be handwashed. Slaving over a soapy sink every night is getting old; I want a tech fix.

Can you recommend a decent technomagical alternative to washing clothes by hand? I am not averse to winding or pedalling or dancing around in circles, as long as it actually works. Bonus points: can I buy something like this in Australia without staying up late and watching crap TV?

Do you eat the dirty fruit?

MaryDellamorte — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:53:15 -0800

This question is for chronic hand-washers that use soap. Why is it not alright to wash your hands with just water before a meal, but it's perfectly kosher to just rinse a piece of fruit off under the faucet before consumption? This is a serious question and I've really, really pondered this. Tons of people have their nasty, grubby hands all over the fruit at grocery stores, yet we only rinse it with water before eating. Are the same people that eat these fruits the same ones that insist on washing their hands with soap before a meal? It doesn't make sense to me. Or maybe people actually use soap to clean fruit? Please shed some light on this for me since I'm a non hand-washer.

I love you, but you're covered in the hand germs of the masses.

phunniemee — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 11:18:31 -0800

How do I get my boyfriend to wash his hands without nagging him? I wouldn't describe myself as a germaphobe, but I was raised to have a certain awareness of the things that I touch (and get touched by a thousand other people), and to wash my hands upon coming home, especially before doing something like eating or touching all up on my face. Grabbing onto the poles and straps on public transit really skeeves me out, as do bathrooms and public computers. If I'm carrying anti-bac gel with me, I'll do that as soon as I'm done, and/or I'll make sure to wash my hands the next time a sink presents itself. I tell you this so that you know I'm not some crazy wash-the-hands-till-they-bleed person.

Anyway, the boyfriend hasn't been instilled with this ability to notice potentially gross things. He'll full-handledly grab onto a rail on a bus, touch his face, pick something up off the ground, touch his mouth, open a door, and then sit down and start eating. He also often doesn't wash his hands after peeing. None of this seems to register with him. If it were just him, I'd sit back and watch in horror as the scene played out, but when he tries to hold my hand or touch me or (gasp) put his hands anywhere, excuse me, but no.

When we sit down to eat, I'll (always nicely) ask him to wash his hands first. If we're at home he'll usually comply, but if we're out, it's almost always a no-go. And I don't sit there like his mom and say "go wash your hands;" I'll get up and say, "be right back, going to go wash the bus off my hands," and give him a look. I know he knows what I'd like him to do, he's just being difficult. Same goes for the bathroom and everything else. Also, I worry that when I refuse to hold his hand (and tell him it's because his hands are dirty), he thinks it's because I don't like him (because he's just like that).

Long story short: How can I get my boyfriend to wash his hands with regularity, without nagging him constantly?

p.s. He is almost 22 and should know better.

Can I hand wash 'dry clean only' wool pants?

naomi — Mon, 14 Feb 2005 10:57:57 -0800

I've got several pairs of lightweight wool dress pants from Ann Taylor. They are marked dry clean only. Suppose I hand-wash these pants in cold water and lay them flat on a towel to air-dry. Will the laundry gods punish my impudence?

Cleaning Off the Goop

ajpresto — Mon, 08 Mar 2004 06:08:48 -0800

Possibly unanswerable question: I was working with this and I didn't wash it off fast enough with the right stuff. It's a polyurethane based gunk and I can't get it off my hands. Any tips on cleaning nasty, oil based, sticky, slippery goop off my hands now that it has dried? BTW, the truck looks great with it applied. :)