According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), proper hand washing is crucial in preventing the transmission of germs and disease, and currently, most people are not washing often or long enough. When performed properly and frequently, hand washing can keep entire communities healthier. For optimal illness prevention, wash your hands prior to preparing food and eating, and after bathroom visits, diapering babies, handling animals, wound care, visiting ill people, and sneezing or coughing.
Step 1
Wet your hands under warm, running water. Use liquid or bar soap to lather up your wet hands.
Step 2
Scrub your lathered hands all over for at least 20 seconds, making sure to wash under your nails and in other crevices and skin folds, explains the USDA. Wash your wrists and the backs of your hands as well. The CDC suggests singing the Happy Birthday song while washing to approximate the correct amount of time needed for a thorough wash.
Step 3
Rinse hands thoroughly under warm running water.
Step 4
Dry hands with either a paper towel or a blow dryer. When using a paper towel, it's best to turn off the faucet with the paper towel so as to avoid germs on the handles.
Step 5
Let your hands dry completely before touching anything, suggests the USDA.
Things You'll Need
- Bar or liquid soap
- Paper towels or blow dryer
