Hand Washing Facts

Hand washing is a simple and easy way to kill germs and prevent the spread of infection. According to the results of an online survey published on cleanlink.com, 94 percent of American adults say they always wash their hands after using the bathroom. The survey also showed that most U.S. adults think that others don't always wash their hands after doing so. A specific technique has been proven to give the best results during hand washing in terms of killing germs.

Significance

Every day we come into contact with germs from using the bathroom and shaking hands with people to touching contaminated surfaces and animals. These germs are transferred just by touching our eyes, nose or mouth, and the same germs can be easily given to others simultaneously. Illnesses spread through this hand-to-hand contact include the cold, flu and diarrhea, and neglecting proper hand washing can communicate food-related sicknesses such as salmonella and E. coli. Proper hand washing is an important tool in disease prevention.

When

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are several situations after which we should employ proper hand-washing techniques, including before cooking and eating food; after using the bathroom; after changing diapers or helping someone else go to the bathroom; while you're sick or helping someone else who is sick; after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing; after touching an animal or animal waste; after touching garbage; and while treating an open wound.

What to Use

Proper hand washing can be done with simply soap and water. According to the Mayo Clinic, antibacterial soaps --while popular--are no more effective in killing germs while hand washing. In fact, antibacterial soaps can result in resistant bacteria that can be harder to kill while hand washing later. If soap and water are not available, hand washing can still be effective with the use of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Technique

Generally accepted hand-washing techniques supported by the CDC and other health agencies include several steps. First, wet your hands with warm water and apply soap, making a lather and scrubbing all surfaces, including the back of your hands and underneath your fingernails. It's a good idea to also wash exposed areas of your arm while hand washing. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. A good tip is to sing "Happy Birthday" twice. Rinse your hands and arms with the warm water. Use a paper towel to turn off the faucet and avoid re-contaminating your hands with germs. Dry your hands with a paper towel or air dryer.

Industry Standards

Good hand-washing techniques are especially important in certain industries, including food service and health care, where transmission of germs is common. However, while important, no special soaps or additional time are needed for hand washing when employed in one of these industries. Hand washing remains one of the most simple and cost-efficient ways to prevent the spread of disease.

References

• Mayo Clinic
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Cleanlink