Hand Washing 101 – When, How, and Why??

Hand washing is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of infections.  Certain germs (viruses and bacteria) can be spread through general contact with another person.  They can also spread through contaminated objects and touch points such as door handles, light switches, cell phones, etc.  A person picks up these germs by touching these objects and then touching their face (mouth, nose, and eyes).  People often touch their face many times per day without realizing it.

With cold and flu season upon us, here are some tips and methods for preventing the spread of germs.

When Should You Wash Your Hands? 

• When hands are visibly soiled
• Before, during, and after preparing food
• Before eating
• After using the toilet
• After blowing your nose or sneezing into your hands
• After handling garbage
• Visiting or taking care of someone who is sick
• After touching an animal or animal waste

How Should You Wash Your Hands?

• Remove any rings or jewelry
• Wet your hands thoroughly
• Use a good amount of soap and lather your hands
• Scrub your hands including the back of your hand, between fingers, wrist, and under nails
  • Be sure to scrub for at least 20-30 seconds.  Hum a few lines of your favorite song or hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice
• Rinse hands thoroughly with water
• Dry your hands with a paper towel or air dryer
• Using the paper towel, turn off the faucet
• Protect your hands from touching dirty surfaces as you leave the bathroom
  • Use the paper towel to open the bathroom door as well

What to Do If You Cannot Wash Your Hands?

While washing your hands with soap and water is the best practice for cleaning and stopping the spread of germs, there could be situations where you won’t be able to.  An alcohol-based hand sanitizer could be the solution.  These hand sanitizers quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in some situations but should not be used in place of washing your hands with soap and water and do not remove all germs.  Keep in mind that when hands are visibly dirty that hand sanitizers are not as effective and hands should be washed with soap and water.

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