Did you wash your hand’s properly? For a lot of individuals, the answer is an astounding, NO! Knowing how to wash your hands can keep you and your family safe from viruses, infection, and other communicable diseases. Yet, many people do not wash their hands in the proper fashion or at all. Germs are transferred through the air, water, and touch so wash your hands any time you:
- Touch your eyes, nose, and mouth with hands that have not been washed
- Prepare or eat food and drinks with hands that have not been washed
- Touch a contaminated surface or objects
- Blow your nose, cough, or sneeze on your hands then touch other people or common objects
- Care for someone who is/has recently vomited or had a case of diarrhea
- Use the restroom
- Take care of infants or help with young children after their toilet activities are done
- Take care of animals to include feeding, touching, and disposing of animal waste
- Handle pet food
- Dispose of garbage
Washing your hands after participating in any of the acts above will drastically reduce your chance of obtaining or transferring any germs, viruses, or other communicable diseases. Following this advice unfortunately is only half the equation the other half is knowing how to wash your hands in the proper fashion. CDC hand washing guide is below for proper hand washing.
The CDC guidelines for washing your hands are as follows:
- Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
- Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
- Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
- Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
- Dry your hands using a disposable towel, clean towel, or air dry them.
Following these few simple rules of when to wash your hands will reduce your chance of getting sick, transferring communicable diseases, and improve your overall health. Knowing when and how to wash your hands is a skill many overlook but shouldn’t! Avoiding germs & viruses by washing your hands properly.
When and How to Wash Your Hands. (2020, April 2). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html
