Have we become obsessed with antibacterial soaps/cleaners/wipes, etc?

Mint Sauce

Just seen an advert for an automatic antibacterial soap dispenser, using the arguement that the traditional hand operated one is home to hundreds of bacteria on the pump.

i dont get it my self, surly if you are using an anti bacterial soap, you are going to wash off the germs passed from the pump to your hand.



plus adverts for carrying gels and wipes when on the move just in case you come in contact with a hand rail just before eating your sandwich or your bag of crisps

bloody hell, when i was a kid the only times you even washed your hands if there was visable dirt on them, and my friends and i survived childhood unscathed, and possibly alot heathier than the kids today lowering their immunity by using all this stuff, alot of the time unnesesarly.

its all just one big marketing ploy.

My name is URL

FUD!

dr.bollocko

I'm a fan of cultivating dangerous superbugs in a home made lab and hope to see the hobby spread worldwide soon. That's why I endorse numerous antibacterial products for home and office use.

Lex_Diamonds

Has definintely gotten out of hand. It'll come right back and bite us in the ass too. Soon travelling outside your county will leave you sick as a dog due to not being use to their bugs. "I went to Cavan and got the scuts" etc.

kylith

irish-stew wrote: »

Just seen an advert for an automatic antibacterial soap dispenser, using the arguement that the traditional hand operated one is home to hundreds of bacteria on the pump.

I laughed myself stupid at that ad, sure you're washing your hands after pumping the soap. I thought it especially funny since you'll be covering the tap in germs when you turn it on, then washing your hands so they're nice an clean for all the germs you pick up when you turn the tap off again.

Pace2008

Those Dettol ads are just vile, preying on irrational parents' fears, making out as if your whole house is a cesspit and infection lurks around every corner and in every crevice. The hack of that one chasing her kids around the gaff, sterilising every object they make contact with - I'd say they'd die of a cold.

I was never adverse to a bit of dirt when I was a kid, and have the immune system of a t-rex as a result.

Mike 1972

When the bacteria develop resistance to these agents is when the real fun will start :eek:

On the one hand they keep increasing (to ludicrous proportions) the number of drugs which can only be obtained on prescription while on the other hand antibacterial agents and even some antibiotics are widely dispensed when they should never be used outside of hospitals/laboratories

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

irish-stew wrote: »

Just seen an advert for an automatic antibacterial soap dispenser, using the arguement that the traditional hand operated one is home to hundreds of bacteria on the pump.

i dont get it my self, surly if you are using an anti bacterial soap, you are going to wash off the germs passed from the pump to your hand.



plus adverts for carrying gels and wipes when on the move just in case you come in contact with a hand rail just before eating your sandwich or your bag of crisps

bloody hell, when i was a kid the only times you even washed your hands if there was visable dirt on them, and my friends and i survived childhood unscathed, and possibly alot heathier than the kids today lowering their immunity by using all this stuff, alot of the time unnesesarly.

its all just one big marketing ploy.

... as is bottled water.

Seriously. We managed fine before. What's happened to change things?

brummytom

Don't young children need exposure to germs to develop a good immune system?


So isn't encouraging parents to try and completely rid their house of any germs just ridiculous? It can't be good for the children?

epgc3fyqirnbsx

If you look at a baby you see that they constantly pick things up and put it in their mouth. This introduces them to various germs and strengthens their immune system. If you over steralise their enviroment you a rearing them to be a weakling.
It has gone waaaaaay to far.
And the 5 second rule should extend to 5 minutes if you're hard

K-9

brummytom wrote: »

Don't young children need exposure to germs to develop a good immune system?


So isn't encouraging parents to try and completely rid their house of any germs just ridiculous? It can't be good for the children?

This.

One or two household cleaning products is enough, same with soaps.

Money making schemes for pharmaceutical and advertising companies is all it is.

Kim and Aggy rock. Use Coca Cola to remove burn marks from sauce pans!

My name is URL

It's a wonder that there isn't stricter rules on what the companies can include in their advertising, though then people would complain of nannyism.. FACT!

W.Shakes-Beer

I wash my hands mainly if they look of feel dirty. If they're grand I dont bother.

I havent had a cold since last autumn and I know of people who are fanatical about the whole "you'll infect your sambo with AIDS!!!" thing and they always seem to be ill.

kylith

Pace2008 wrote: »

Those Dettol ads are just vile, preying on irrational parents' fears, making out as if your whole house is a cesspit and infection lurks around every corner and in every crevice. The hack of that one chasing her kids around the gaff, sterilising every object they make contact with - I'd say they'd die of a cold.

"Your chopping board has more bacteria than your toilet..." Well, neither's killed me yet, so feck off Dettol.

My favourite one is "Bacteria can live in lava... think about the bacteria in your home". Newsflash: the bacteria in your home cannot live in lava. Don't be thick, people.*

*that's a general 'people', not a specific 'people' that's being thick.

W.Shakes-Beer

The pelican has no agenda.

starbelgrade

Lex_Diamonds wrote: »

Soon travelling outside your county will leave you sick as a dog due to not being use to their bugs. "I went to Cavan and got the scuts" etc.

There's an extra charge in Cavan if you get the scuts.

Tar.Aldarion

W.Shakes-Beer wrote: »

The pelican has no agenda.

Tonight we attack.

areu4real?

[deep ominous voice]
"Some germs can even survive in lava!!"

That is a quote from some scary germ ad. Other ads show ugly little monsters eating flesh and food. People who are afraid tend to spend money to protect themselves. We're not cavemen anymore but our bodies still have the ability to build a super immune system.An odd germ here and there helps us so yea, basically a big marketing ploy.

Dilynnio

I became obsessed with that hand stuff for ages and then I decided **** that I haven't ever needed it before now and I never picked up anything and neither did our great grand fathers before us...............advertising gets yah sometimes!:D

brummytom

"There are more germs on your chopping board than on your toilet seat."


Well, seeing as I use a chopping board and I'm not dead yet, it obviously doesn't matter, does it?

Mike 1972

brummytom wrote: »

"There are more germs on your chopping board than on your toilet seat."

Most people try not to $h1t on their toilet seat ?

At least when theyre sober

KungPao

Tis getting ridiculous alright.

I always wash my hands after going to the jacks, and take care with surfaces and utensils after touching raw chicken and all, I think thats common sense. The bacteria from raw chicken can kill ya, it's serious stuff.

But lashing bleach into the toilet every day and that business is a waste of time and money. I mean you are just gonna pish and schit in it again anyway and people tend not to lick the jacks seat.

As an aside, I haven't had a cold in about a year and haven't thrown up in over 4 years I think.

temply

I always wash my hands when I get off the bus - have seen some pretty gross things on them - people are pretty disgusting

Mike 1972

temply wrote: »

I always wash my hands when I get off the bus

They have sinks at bus stops now

temply

Mike 1972 wrote: »

They have sinks at bus stops now

they should! i saw this aul lad the other day eating a snack box, he dropped his bones on the floor and then wiped his hands all over the seat

i was amazed, it was sweltering hot too, stank out the bus, not a bother on him

disgusting

Heroditas

Lex_Diamonds wrote: »

"I went to Cavan and got the scuts" etc.

Even then you won't even get that for free in Cavan!

storm2811

During the whole swine flu scare they started putting those alcohol foam dispensing things everywhere,the stink was fcuking brutal,never used them but everyone else was using them like mad afraid to die of swine flu ffs.:pac:

I only use anti bacterial stuff on the chopping boards or counters if I've made food on them.

cocalolaman

Why do they never kill the full 100% of bacteria?

peasant

Avoid unnecessary antibacterial household products. We need the bacteria that surround us, and it is possible that trying to kill them is causing harm. By introducing antibacterial products into the landfills and sewage we are ensuring that only the microbes that are resistant to these products survive. Research is underway to determine if we are selecting for resistant bacterial populations causing antibacterial agents, like antibiotics, to lose their effectiveness or disrupt the effectiveness of the wastewater treatment plants or nutrient cycling in the soil. Use antibacterial hand soaps only when dealing with ill and immunocompromised individuals.

so basically, by using tons of antibacterial stuff we are most likely currently breeding the unkillable, antibacterial-resistant bacteria that will eventially kill or starve us ...or both

http://www.actionbioscience.org/evolution/meade_callahan.html

Mike 1972

cocalolaman wrote: »

Why do they never kill the full 100% of bacteria?

Because theres always those badass hardcore bacillus rambo which just refuse to die and will get you in the end ?

Mickeroo

Apparently asthma is a lot more common now because some parents keep the child's environment so sterile, and kids aren't let play out in the dirt as much anymore either.

K-9

storm2811 wrote: »

During the whole swine flu scare they started putting those alcohol foam dispensing things everywhere,the stink was fcuking brutal,never used them but everyone else was using them like mad afraid to die of swine flu ffs.:pac:

I only use anti bacterial stuff on the chopping boards or counters if I've made food on them.

I remember one of the HSE guys on the radio about that. He didn't mention anti bacterials at all, just soap. Apparently, you don't even need warm water as many schools mightn't have that. Getting a lather from the soap and a good wash is the key.

I-Shot-Jr

I use quite a bit of it because I handle quiiiite a lot of cash but I would rarely think or bother to use it outside of that situation, I do wash my hands quite a lot though purely because Im prone to getting spots on my face through rubbing it. But if or when I have kids I wont be following them around with a powerhose mixed with dettol, let the little ****es get sick.

mardybumbum

But if or when I have kids I wont be following them around with a powerhose mixed with dettol, let the little ****es get sick.

Might just be the best thing for them.

http://asthma.about.com/b/2009/09/22/hygiene-hypothesis-asthma-dirty-is-better.htm

southsiderosie

A friend of mine is a pediatrician who splits her time between a government-subsidized family clinic and a wealthy private hospital. I asked her about the whole kids and germs/allergies thing, and she said that observationally there seems to be some correlation between 1) food allergies and family income and 2) immune problems and family income. The main issue is that upper middle class parents freak out about everything, try to control everything they eat and their children eat, and clean too much, whereas working-class and immigrant families have healthier kids (in terms of immune systems and allergies) because they don't keep them in a bubble. Poorer kids in the US do tend to have more problems with obesity and asthma though (although the asthma thing is environmental).

zuroph

Some idiots will fall for the ad, and it'll sell. said the exact same thign the econd I saw the ad, its not like your touching it again after. unlike the tap, and the door handle.

Blisterman

Talk about stupid advertising. I saw one recently which said something like this

"Did you know, normal kitchen cleaner doesn't kill ALL germs? Well, Detoll ( or Cilit bang, flash etc), kills 99.9% of germs.

Mrmoe

All of these products are a bit overkill for the home but they should definitely be in workplaces and other areas where people come into contact a lot. The chances are that you will have immunity to most bacteria and viruses that are found in your home. However, in a work place for example door handles and fittings would be a good reservoir for infection for which you would not necessarily have any imminity to.

baltimore sun

I'll admit I'm a bit of a freak and I carry one of those anti-bacteria handwash things with me all the time.

I'll always use it after I come out of a public jacks coz most feckers dont wash their hands in public toilets and also if I've been handling a load of money in work, I'll wash my hands with it

It's only because I got a massive stomach bug years ago that was caused by some kind of mad germ I got somewhere, HSE wanted to investigate the place and everything but it was in England so they couldn't do anything about it.

Mike 1972

"There are more germs on your chopping board than on your toilet seat."

The overwhelming majority of bacteria cause little or no harm to humans. Some are even beneficial.

Living in an environment *overwhelmed with chemicals on the other hand.............


* And like bacteria not all "chemicals" are necessarily evil either but overexposure to combinations of all manner of chemicals cant be doing us a whole lot of good

Pope Benedict

with hands that do dishes...

BluesBerry

Pope Benedict wrote: »

with hands that do dishes...

With mild green fairy liquid :pac:

starbelgrade

baltimore sun wrote: »

I'll always use it after I come out of a public jacks coz most feckers dont wash their hands in public toilets and also if I've been handling a load of money in work, I'll wash my hands with it.

You wash your hands with money?! F*cking hell... what do you wipe your arse with? :eek:

MultiUmm

W.Shakes-Beer wrote: »

I wash my hands mainly if they look of feel dirty. If they're grand I dont bother.

I havent had a cold since last autumn and I know of people who are fanatical about the whole "you'll infect your sambo with AIDS!!!" thing and they always seem to be ill.

Er, do you wash them after using the jacks though? :pac:

K-9

Hope everybody cleans their keyboard regularly*. One of the biggest traps of germs.

*For non fapping reasons seeing as this is AH.

JuneBug29

There was a medical professor in England whom i read about last year. He was saying that peoples obsession with household cleaners were directly contributing towards MRSA and the likes because our bodies then cannot deal with bacteria when it's not being subjected to it.

If you avoid bacteria and kill off every instance of it how can you expect your immune system to cope with it? My parents are in their 70's. They grew up in the days of going to the local stores with slabs of meat thrown on the shelves for anyone to take. No refrigeration or anything. Never did either of them any harm and even if food falls on the ground to this day my father will pick it up regardless of how long its been on the ground. Both of my parents are more healthy than a lot of people younger than them.

All of these ads are scaring people into thinking that they need to sterilise their houses up and down or else they'll become ill. Scare mongering if i ever heard it. Let kids at a bit of dirt once in awhile. If people think killing EVERY germ will help them and their health then they are very misinformed and easily lead.

epgc3fyqirnbsx

This actually reminds me of a story told by a teacher.

When he was a young fella he went off to England for a summer and was working on the roads out in the country somewhere with a load of irish and english.
All the irish lads were country boys and had grown up drinking water from wells or dodgy local schemes. The english were all from the city who had a good water supply.

There was a stream by the road they were working on and as it was hot one day they all drank from the stream. The english lads were all out the next day with stomach cramps, vomiting and the squirts. The Irish lads were all grand.

You need to let your body build up a resistency to germs, simple as

storm2811

JuneBug29 wrote: »

Let kids at a bit of dirt once in awhile. If people think killing EVERY germ will help them and their health then they are very misinformed and easily mislead.

I used to live in my sandpit and the turf shed for nearly the whole time when I was a toddler,only got the flu twice in my whole life!