‘Hand-washing police’ find more of us are washing up after bathroom use; men still dirtier

Restroom spies say we’re washing hands more often

BOSTON — Researchers who secretly spy on people using public restrooms say that Americans seem to be washing their hands more often.

Checks during August in Chicago, Atlanta, New York and San Francisco found 85 percent of people washed their hands, up from only 77 percent in 2007.

It’s the best rate since these periodic surveys began in 1996.

One thing hasn’t changed: Men are still dirtier. About 23 percent of men failed to wash up compared to only 7 percent of women.

The results were reported Monday at an infectious diseases conference in Boston.