Everyone has a pet-peeve. These bothersome habits include someone changing the radio station in mid-song, telemarketers calling during “90210” or being passed on I-35 and suddenly being cut-off by that person because he or she realized the Ankeny exit was closer than he or she thought. But these are the little things we know we can’t change, and although they may drive us to our last nerve, we’ve come to accept them. However, there is one thing I will never accept — people who don’t wash their hands after going to the bathroom. It’s uncalled for. It’s dirty. It’s disgusting.

Maybe I have a problem with the uncleanliness of it because I am a chronic handwasher. After all, working for two years in a nursing home around illness and bodily by-products makes you a bit more conscience of germs; however, you shouldn’t have to work in a nursing home to know that handwashing is the single most important thing we do to stop the spread of disease and infection. It’s been proven.

I recently conducted my own un-scientific survey. Every time I went into a public restroom, I compared the number of handwashers to the number of non-handwashers. To my dismay, many mothers failed at instilling this practice into our everyday habits.

So, for all of you non-handwashers, please heed my public service announcement.

Not scrubbing after every flush can cause needless pain and suffering to your immune systems. Chances are, you will probably not wash between the time you go to the bathroom and the time you eat. Germs are transported via your hand from your excrement (I’ll try not to be too disgusting) to your food. I realize one produces the other and that recycling is always good, but I think this is an exception to the rule.

The same theory applies if you rub your eye. Germs are transported to this sensitive part of your body, and not many people are aware that the eyes are the doorways to many infections.

According to a poster I used to have on my bathroom wall, printed by Care-Tech Laboratories, some of the germs you may be transporting include Beta Streptococci (causes those irritable sore throats), Staphylococcus (the mother germ of zits and boils), kleboiella (a germ that will increase the inflammation in open wounds), haemophilus (the source of pink-eye), E. coli and Shigella (which will call for the need of some serious over-the-counter meds after you have contracted a urinary tract infection or worse, diarrhea) and Influenza (a source of pneumonia, which is far from a pleasant illness).

But if you could care less about your own health (and you probably couldn’t if you’re not a handwasher), then at least think about the health risk of others.

Someone has to touch the doorknob you just turned, someone may have to shake your hand later today, or someone may eat the food you prepare.

Reckless disregard for your own health is your business, but disregard for others just isn’t nice.

It’s not too late to start. You’re never too old to become a chronic handwasher. You don’t have to remain a careless E. coli-carrying fool forever. As a matter of fact, start now and go wash the dirty ink off of your hands.

After all, handwashing is the in thing to do.

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Heather McClure is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Harlan.