Do you REALLY know how to wash your hands?
Follow these five steps every time
- 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 scrub your fingertips against your palm to get under your nails.
- Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the song “Happy Birthday” from beginning to end twice.
- Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
- Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
When should you wash your hands?
- Before, during and after preparing food
- Before eating food
- Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick
- Before and after treating a cut or wound
- After using the toilet
- After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
- After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
- After touching an animal, animal feed or animal waste
- After handling pet food or pet treats
- After touching garbage
What about hand sanitizer?
If soap and water are not readily available, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in many situations. However, sanitizers do not get rid of all types of germs.
How to use hand sanitizer
- Apply the gel to the palm of one hand (read the label for the correct amount).
- Rub your hands together.
- Rub the gel over all the surfaces of your hands and fingers until your hands are dry. This should take around 20 seconds (sing “Happy Birthday” again!)
Source: cdc.gov