How+to+Wash+Your+Hands.doc

How to Wash Your HandsPractice good sanitation habits. If your hands are not clean and you touch your face or public surfaces, you may be infecting yourself and others by spreading germs and disease. Colds, flus, and infectious diarrhea are all known to be spread by hand-to-hand contact. In a recent survey, while 92% of adults in the U.S. claimed they regularly wash their hands after using the restroom, only 77% actually did. Washing your hands regularly can help keep you and those around you healthy by controlling the spread of germs (bacteria and viruses) as well as by removing plain, old dirt. Even if you already wash your hands, take the time to do it regularly and right. Heres how.Steps1. 1Get your hands wet. Turn the tap on and evenly rinse your hands in warm water. Contrary to popular belief, hot water does not remove bacteria more effectively than warm water, and may even increase the irritant capacity of some soaps.2. 2Use soap. Any type of soap will work, but if it helps you wash your hands more consistently to have soap that is a fun shape or color, or a pleasant fragrance, go for it.o A soap does not have to be antibacterial to do a good job. Soap works by removing germs and soil rather than by killing germs. Scientists question whether antibacterial soaps are any better at preventing germs and disease than regular soaps, and there is some concern that widespread use of antibacterial soaps may, in fact, breed bacteria that are resistant to those antibacterial agents. Antibacterial soaps may also dry the skin more than ordinary soaps.3. 3Work up a lather. Scrub on both sides of your hands, in between your fingers, and your wrists. Remember to wash around and under your fingernails.4. 4Wash your hands for about 15-20 seconds. This is just about the time it takes to sing a chorus of Happy Birthday. Be sure and rub your hands vigorously, and dont rinse off the soap right away. Give it time to do its job and give yourself time to get soap everywhere it should be. A good tip is to use rotational rubbing, backwards and forwards with clasped fingers from your right hand in your left palm and vice versa.5. 5Rinse your hands thoroughly. Place them under running water with your hands pointed downward but not touching the sink. This removes both the soap and the bacteria that was on your hands.6. 6Use a towel to turn off the faucet, particularly in a public bathroom. If the faucet turns itself off on a spring or a photocell, let it. If not, use a paper towel, your elbow, or your forearm.7. 7Dry your hands with a clean towel. Although they are not as good for the environment, paper towels are more sanitary for drying your hands than cloth towels. If you use cloth towels at home, launder them regularly. If you are in a public restroom, you can also use the hot air dryers if they are available.Tips Use a paper towel to open the door on the way out of a public restroom instead of touching the handle with your freshly washed hands. Dont assume that everybody takes care to wash their hands before leaving. You dont need to use loads of soap for your hand washing to be effective. As long as you have plenty of suds, youre doing the job. Use a bit of extra soap if your hands are especially dirty or oily. Remember to move up your elbows, too (especially if youve been working with dirty fluids e.g. working in a butcher department at a grocery store). This should help to make sure that you get germs off of your arms as well. Although you dont use your arms for contact with items that much, you probably cross your arms often, and it helps to keep yourself and others healthy. Dont just wash your hands with water. Germs love warm moist places so you need soap to remove them. If you have a lot of grease on your hands, for instance from changing the oil in your car, scrub your hands with a mixture of sugar and soap to remove the grease easily. If youre not near a sink and you need to wash your hands, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. If used correctly, it will kill most bacteria (except clostridium difficile). Be aware that it will not necessarily remove other soils. For example, if you just changed the oil in your car, killing germs is not the only reason to clean your hands. It is better to wash your hands if you can. Wash your hands frequently. o After using the bathroom.o After changing a diaper.o After sneezing, coughing, or blowing your nose.o After handling surfaces that many people touch, such as doorknobs and railingso Before preparing or h