Handwashing Should Matter to You

Handwashing is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family from getting sick
Handwashing is easy to do and it's one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of many types of infection and illness in all settings—from your home and workplace to child care facilities and hospitals. Clean hands can stop germs from spreading from one person to another and throughout an entire community. 

When should you wash your hands?
Feces from people or animals is a source of germs. A single gram of human feces—which is about the weight of a paper clip—can contain one trillion germs. Help stop the spread of germs by washing your hands often, especially during key times listed below. 

• Before, during, and after preparing food 
• Before eating food 
• Before and after caring for someone who is sick 
• Before and after treating a cut or wound 
• After using the toilet 
• 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 touching garbage 

What is the right way to wash your hands? 

Follow the five steps below to wash your hands the right way every time. 

• Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap. 
• Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails. 
• Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the "Happy Birthday" song from beginning to end twice. 
• Rinse your hands well under clean, running water. 

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

What should you do if you don't have soap and clean, running water? Washing hands with soap and water is the best way to reduce the number of germs on them in most situations. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in some situations, but sanitizers do not eliminate all types of germs. 

Hand sanitizers may not be as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy. Furthermore, hand sanitizers might not remove harmful chemicals like pesticides and heavy metals from hands. Be cautious when using hand sanitizers around children; swallowing alcohol-based hand sanitizers can cause alcohol poisoning if a person swallows more than a couple mouthfuls.

How do you use hand sanitizers? 

• Apply the product to the palm of one hand (read the label to learn the correct amount). 
• Rub your hands together. 
• Rub the product over all surfaces of your hands and fingers until your hands are dry. 

From Centers for Disease Control and Prevention