Proper hand washing techniques are mandatory in the healthcare and food industries to prevent the spread of germs and bacteria. Even though there are no regulations stipulating that you must wash your hands in a certain manner at home, you can benefit from doing so. Clean hands are an important factor for good health.
Importance
By keeping your hands clean through frequent hand washing, you help prevent the spread of harmful germs and bacteria. It reduces your chances of getting sick and the chances of you getting others sick. According to the Centers for Disease Control, hand washing "is one of the most important ways to prevent the spread of infection and illness."
Frequency
You should wash your hands before and after you touch your face, before touching food, after touching raw food, after using the restroom, after blowing your nose, before and after touching wounds, after touching anything that is likely to contain bacteria and whenever your hands are visibly dirty.
Proper Procedure
For clean hands, follow these seven steps:
1. Place your hands underneath a faucet of running water and wet your hands thoroughly.
2. Apply soap to your hands. Use a liquid antibacterial or antimicrobial soap if you have been exposed to viral or infectious germs.
3. Rub your hands together vigorously to lather the soap. Lather the soap over your entire hands and fingers for at least 20 seconds. Pay attention to both sides of your hands, between your fingers and around your wrists. Scratch your fingernails on the palms of your hands to get the lather underneath your nails.
4. Remove dirt from underneath your nails, using a clean nail stick. Discard the stick in a trash receptacle.
5. Rinse your hands under a faucet for 30 seconds.
6. Grab a paper towel. Hold the paper towel while you turn off the water faucet. Use the paper towel as a barrier between your hand and the water faucet to prevent contaminating your hands with bacteria from the faucet. Throw the paper towel away.
7. Grab a fresh paper towel and dry your hands with it.
Waterless Hand Washing
An alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be used to clean hands when water is not available. Rub a generous amount of alcohol-based hand sanitizer over the entire hands, fingers and wrist, for a minimum of 30 seconds. For best results, repeat the process a second time.
Soap
Liquid soap is preferred over bar soap, because bar soap often becomes contaminated with bacteria. Antibacterial or antimicrobial soaps are more effective at removing virus and infectious germs than bar soap. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, plain soap fails to remove infectious bacteria commonly found on the hands of medical professionals. Plain soap is sufficient for daily use in households. Households should use antibacterial or antimicrobial soap when members in the household are sick.
References
- Principles and Practice of Nurse Education ; Francis M. Quinn; October 2000
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Wash Your Hands
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings
