Earlier today I waxed poetically about the evils of antibacterial soap. Sorry about that, it just happens sometimes.
Essentially, research shows that what we wash with on a daily basis is less important than how we wash. So here’s your hand washing course for the day.
It’s all about time, timing and friction. Those are the three most important things to remember about trying to get your hands clean.
- You need to wash long enough.
- You need to wash when it’s most needed.
- You need to scrub when you wash.
Now that we’ve covered the basic rules, let’s talk specifics.
- Wash your hands before every meal.
- Wash after every bathroom trip and diaper change.
- Wash before and after taking care of cuts and scraps, and any other open wounds or moist areas of the body.
- Use a brisk scrubbing motion on all parts of your hand. Don’t forget in between fingers and underneath your nails.
- Scrub your wrist as well.
- Scrub with soap and hot water for at least twenty seconds. That’s long enough for a rousing round of the ABC song or a chorus of Jiggle Bells.
- Dry with paper towels rather than cloth. If you choose cloth, every one needs their own towel, and they should be laundered weekly.
Things to remember in public places:
- 90% of women wash their hands after using the restroom in a public place. Only 75% of men do.
- Use a paper towel to turn off the water when you finish washing.
- Get a different towel to dry your hands.
- Use another paper towel to open the door and dispose of it right after leaving the restroom.
- If you have a choice, use paper towels to dry your hands instead of the air dryer. A recent study showed that the germs left on hands after drying were higher with the air than the towel. This is partly because the air dryers can blow around germs from the air and from what it has collected inside the mechanism.
- If you are using an air dryer make sure your hands are thoroughly dry before walking away.
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