Americans Neglect to Wash Their Hands

Americans are forgetting to wash their hands. A new study shows that only 77% of people wash their hands after using public restrooms—that's down 6% from two years ago. And notably, 92% of Americans SAY they do. Unsurprisingly, men are the big offenders: their number was 66%. "Very clearly, guys need to step up to the sink," says a soap industry spokesman.

The study was not terribly scientific—researchers staked out various venues in different cities (different from the last study), but experts are still worried about the trend. "Fifteen to 20 seconds of friction and soap and water will remove so many germs from your hands and help with your wellbeing," said a Utah doctor. (More health stories.)