How To Wash Your Hands
There are many health benefits associated with hand washing but many people still do not practice it even after using the restroom. Germs can accumulate on your hands throughout the day and may come from many sources such as people, contaminated food and waste and even animals. If you don’t wash your hands well, you will be easily exposed to these germs especially since you get to touch your eyes, nose and mouth every now and then. You can also spread germs easily especially if you come into contact with other people or by simply touching a door knob.
One of the simplest ways to avoid getting sick is to keeping your hands clean at all times. Every year tens of millions of people get food-borne diseases because of lack of basic hygiene. The secret lies in washing your hands regularly. You should wash your hands:
After:
visiting the bathroom
accompanying your child to the bathroom
changing the diapers of your child
blowing your nose, sneezing and coughing
touching an animal or its waste
disposing garbage
Before:
treating an open wound
cooking or eating food (especially raw meat, poultry)
inserting or removing contact lenses
and after tending to someone sick or injured
Clean your Hands Properly
Wash your hands with soap and clean running water for 20 seconds. If these are both not available, you can use any alcohol-based product such as a regular liquid sanitizer to clean your hands and minimize the number of germs on your skin. These alcohol-based hand sanitizers are actually more effective than soap and water in killing bacteria and viruses.
When using water:
Turn on the faucet and wet your hands with warm, clean water.
Use plenty of soap and rub your hands together vigorously to make a lather and scrub all surfaces.
Make sure to wash palms, wrists, backs of hands, fingers and other areas.
Continue rubbing for 20 seconds. Sing the first verse of your favorite song and that should be enough.
Rinse hands thoroughly under running water.
Dry your hands using an air dryer or paper towel. If possible, use your paper towel to turn off the faucet to prevent reinfection of your hands.
When using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer:
Apply sanitizer to the palm of one hand.
Rub hands together thoroughly.
Rub the product all over your hands and fingers until all areas are dry.<
Teach by Example
You can help your kids and even others around you to stay healthy and avoid getting sick by insisting that they wash their hands properly and regularly. To instill a new habit, especially to the young ones, you should teach by example. Wash your hands with your children and guide them in leading a healthy life.