Is clean ever too clean?

[kidsinstl]

It is important to wash hands before you eat, after the bathroom, and when hands are dirty? Has the hand sanitizer craze gone overboard? Are our kids sick more often because they have not built up the proper immunity to bacteria? What do you think?

[cleansweeping]

I don't think it is necessary to use hand sanitizer AFTER washing your hands. But, I do think it is good to use it when out in public and washing hands before eating is extremely difficult, if not impossible, such as out on a picnic, camping, etc. I, too, have wondered about this. When we are at restaurants, I use hand sanitizer because you don't know who last touched the ketchup on the table! While we are getting "cleaner", I think we are also around more dangerous germs, too. It is just such a vicious circle, isn't it?

[Stayathomemommy]

I Just don't know where I stand on this. I have my kids use hand sanitizer out, especially after we use a bathroom that does not have soap. However I must admit we don't use it always after playing at the playground, then eating. My kids are not sick very often, so who knows. Now I will admit that I have a couple of friends that are overboard on the sanitizer... I think they would dip their kids in it ever hour if they could...haha.