People Washing Hands More, But Men Still Lag

(CBS/AP) Americans are cleaning up.

Surveys in four big cities last month found 85 percent of public restroom users washing their hands, up from 77 percent in 2007. It's the highest 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, versus 7 percent of women.

"Those little 20 seconds with friction, water and soap" are one of the best things people can do to keep from getting sick, said microbiologist Judy Daly of Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City.

She led the project for the American Society for Microbiology and the American Cleaning Institute, formerly known as the Soap and Detergent Association. Results were given Monday at the microbiology group's conference in Boston.

Toilet spies - um, researchers - from Harris Interactive combed their hair and pretended to put on makeup while watching more than 6,000 adults using restrooms at Turner Field ballpark in Atlanta, the Museum of Science and Industry and Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Pennsylvania Station and Grand Central Terminal in New York City and the Ferry Terminal Farmers Market in San Francisco.

At the museum, 93 percent washed up, putting it at the top of the list. At the bottom: the train stations, where only about 80 percent washed. Men were at their worst at Turner Field, where only 65 percent washed.

Researchers also did phone surveys of more than 1,000 adults around the country in August. The results suggest that people are not quite truthful about their habits - 96 percent said they always wash after using a public restroom.

They're all wet.