Hand washing is a cornerstone of good hygiene. And, with the recent number of aggressive infectious diseases such as SARS and swine flu in the forefront of public health, hand washing is more important than ever.
Why Wash Your Hands?
The human hand is, perhaps, the busiest—and most social—of all body parts. We use our hands to lift, convey, open, close, touch, soothe, and greet. From doorknobs to coffee cups, hands touch countless surfaces each day. Each time we make contact, bacteria, viruses, and other infectious agents may be transferred to and from our hands.
According to the World Health Organization, the practice of regular hand washing is likely the most important tool we can employ to prevent the spread of these infectious agents in both healthcare and community settings.
When To Wash Your Hands?
Of course, when hands are visibly dirty, we intuitively know to wash them. However, most
infectious pathogens are not visible to the naked eye. As such, the US Center for Disease
Control (CDC) recommends washing your hands in the following situations:
- Before preparation and eating of food
- After going to the bathroom
- After changing diapers or coming in contact with urine, feces, or other bodily discharge
- Before and after tending to someone who is sick
- After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
- After handling an animal or animal waste
- After handling garbage
- Before and after treating a cut or wound
It may also be a good idea to wash in these instances:
- After handling raw meats—including beef, chicken, and fish—and/or eggs
- After eating, as hands may have come into contact with the mouth and nose
- After cleaning out the refrigerator or disposing of old food, particularly if food is moist or liquid based
- Before inserting or removing contact lenses
How to Wash Your Hands
Despite the popularity of antibacterial soaps and cleansers, most of them are no more effective than regular hand soap and warm water. If soap and water are not available, the use of alcohol-based sanitizer is an acceptable alternative, unless hands are visibly soiled.
The CDC describes effective hand washing in five steps:
- Wet hands with clean running water and apply soap. Use warm water if it is available.
- Rub hands together to create lather and scrub all hand surfaces. (Including underneath fingernails and between fingers.)
- Continue washing for at least 20 seconds. (Or as long as it takes to sing the A-B-C song.)
- Rinse hands well under running water.
- Dry hands using a paper towel or air dryer. If possible, use your paper towel to turn off the faucet. (And to open the restroom door!)
When using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer in lieu of hand washing, the CDC recommends:
- Applying a product containing at least 60% alcohol to the palm of one hand
- Rubbing hands together to coat all surfaces of hands and fingers
- Continue rubbing until product evaporates and hands are dry
Hand washing is a simple task that consumes very little time. The benefits of this simple practice, however, are infinite.
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