Help with the underlined sentence

This is a passage from a book I am currently reading:

I drink the tea. Suddenly I feel irritated. I get up and say, "I have to go to the washroom". That's what I used to call it at work. At home I just say "toilet".

Of course she immediately notices the nuance. "Then don't forget to put your gloves on," she says.

My question is: Why is she telling him to "wear gloves"? Does it have to do with the fact that washroom is a more polite word for toilet or WC or whatever one might call it at home or around friends/family?

Or perhaps because "washroom" could be also understood as a sort of "laundry room"? And that's why he would need the gloves?

Your help would be greatly appreciated.