Proper Hand Washing

Proper Hand Washing: SAVE LIVES WITH CLEAN HANDS

One of the most consistent messages during the COVID-19 pandemic is the importance of frequent and thorough hand washing. But, how many know how to properly and effectively wash our hands?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the following five steps are the right way to wash your hands:

Wet 1

Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.

Lather 2

Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers and under your nails.

Scrub 3

Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.

Rinse 4

Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.

Dry 5

Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

Now that you know the proper way to wash your hands, it’s important to understand when you should wash your hands: • After you have been in a public place, such as a grocery store, pharmacy, etc., and touched a surface that may have been frequently touched by others. This includes door handles, counters and tables, gas pumps, shopping carts, ATM screens or store registers, etc. • Before touching your face, eyes, nose or mouth as that is how germs enter our bodies • Before, during and after food preparation • Before eating food • Before and after caring for someone who is ill • Before and after treating a cut or wound • After using the restroom • 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 “Frequent hand washing helps you and those around you stay healthy. It’s also important to avoid touching our eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands,” says Lance King, M.D., a family medicine physician and medical director of Warren Clinic.

Use of Hand Sanitizers

While hand sanitizer has been hard to find since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, if you have it available for use, know that those that contain at least 60% alcohol are the next best thing to traditional hand washing. Sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in many situations. The CDC advises that people should be mindful of the following: • Hand sanitizers do not get rid of all types of germs. • Hand sanitizers may not be as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy. • Hand sanitizers might not remove harmful chemicals from hands like pesticides and heavy metals. Please share this helpful information with your children and family. For more detailed information including video resources on appropriate hand washing, please visit cdc.gov/handwashing.

*Source CDC.gov