Irish parents have a lax attitude towards hand washing and could be putting their children at risk, a new study has revealed.

Although we’re familiar with the daily chore of reminding kids to wash their hands after using the bathroom and rubbing the dog, a massive 90 per cent of parents believe that ‘a bit of dirt’ is good for children.

The research, conducted by Initial Hygiene, involved a survey of primary school children and their parents and revealed that over 40 per cent of children do not wash their hands with soap after using the loo, and 75 per cent do not wash their hands before meals.

The research also involved testing the children’s hands for bacteria and this revealed that 20 percent of them are home to ‘heavy’ levels of bacteria, which pose a risk of cross-contamination.

Nearly half of children admit to never washing their hands after the loo!

Boys’ hands were found to be dirtier than girls’, and those aged 8 had the highest average levels of bacteria on their hands among the focus group of 7 to 11-year olds.

Dr Colm Moore, Area Technical Manager at Initial Hygiene, commented: “In the past few years we have learnt an awful lot more about the dangers posed by poor hand hygiene. Parents’ belief that their children may be ‘too hygienic’ is alarming, as some of the bacteria and viruses which can be carried on hands can have serious consequences. 

"Many common pathogens can be carried on hands, from Staphylococcus and E. Coli to Norovirus and influenza. Regularly washing hands with soap and water has been proven to reduce the risk of spreading these types of pathogens, and so it is up to parents to educate their children on how handwashing can help them stay fit and healthy.”

The research has been unveiled ahead of Global Handwashing Day, which falls on October 15th.

The international day hopes to raise awareness to both children and parents about the importance of hand washing to prevent viruses such as swine flu (H1N1), MRSA, Samonella, Norovirus and E. coli.