New Research: Almost Nobody Washes Hands Correctly In Public Restrooms- Only 5% Do It Properly. Ew.

Surprising new research says that only 5 percent of people wash their hands correctly after using the public restroom. Gross.

Apparently, grown-ups need to be reminded to wash their hands after going potty.

Past research apparently says people were much less unsanitary, generally speaking. Scientists are surprised by the findings.

Researchers at Michigan State University conducted the study by training students to assess whether or not people at bars, restaurants, and other public places were washing their hands correctly.

Very, very few of them were- only about five percent. Ewwww.

"These findings were surprising to us because past research suggested that proper hand washing is occurring at a much higher rate," Carl Borchgrevink, associate professor of hospitality business and lead investigator of the study, told press.

The study  had a fairly large sample size of3,749 people. It concluded that 33 percent of people didn't use soap to wash their hands. Researchers also discovered that 10 percent of people skipped washing their hands altogether.

The study also found that men were more likely to not wash hands. 15 percent of men, versus 7 percent of women, didn't wash their hands. And women were also much more likely to use soap-in fact, only half of men used soap, while 78 percent of women lathered up.

Score one to the ladies for hygiene.

Factors as to whether or not people washed their hands also had to do with how clean the sink itself was, whether there were hand-washing signs, and the time of day (presumably, drunk people at bars are less likely to care).

A different recent study found that using paper towels to dry hands, rather than hand dryers, is unhygienic.

Just as a reminder, keeping hands clean is a huge deterrent to getting sick, getting others sick, and spreading foodborne illnesses.

And it's important for business owners, the researcher pointed out. Borchgrevink was a chef and a manager before becoming a researcher.

"Imagine you're a business owner and people come to your establishment and get foodborne illness through the fecal-oral route - because people didn't wash their hands - and then your reputation is on the line," he said in a press release. "You could lose your business."

So: wash those hands!