When it comes to preventing the spread of infectious diseases, few practices are more effective than frequent and proper handwashing. While most people wash their hands, not everyone does it correctly. In fact, it’s estimated that only 5% of people follow proper handwashing techniques, and 33% of people don’t even use soap when they wash their hands…
To raise awareness about the importance of washing your hands, as well as spread the information about proper handwashing technique and practices, December 6-12 has been designated “National Handwashing Awareness Week”. To help promote this cause, we’ll cover everything you need to know about handwashing, from why it’s important to the best method to use.
Why is Handwashing Important?
It’s estimated that there are approximately 3,200 different germs living on your hands at any one time. This should really come as no surprise given that our hands are our predominant touchpoint with the surrounding environment. Most of the germs living on your hands are harmless, but there are plenty of other pathogens that can cause a wide range of illnesses.
Pathogens on your hands aren’t an immediate issue, as germs are not able to seep through the skin. The first time that you touch your eyes, mouth, or nose, though, pathogens on your hands are likely to enter the body. This is a real issue given the fact that research estimates that we touch our faces about 16 times per hour! Along with contracting diseases yourself, pathogens on your hand can also be spread to others. Many pathogens are able to survive on surfaces for quite some time, meaning that they can be spread from person to person if two people touch the same surface. In fact, it is estimated that up to 80% of all communicable diseases are spread via our hands.
Proper handwashing is able to kill up 99.9% of the germs living on your hands. Given that high multitude of diseases spread via contaminated hands, this ability for handwashing to completely eliminate 99.9% of germs from your hands makes handwashing one of the most effective precautions we have available to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
How to Wash Your Hands Properly
As mentioned before, it’s estimated that only 5% of people wash their hands correctly. While the proper technique for washing your hands isn’t all that complicated, there are a few important details that a lot of people tend to miss.
If you would like to start washing your hands in a manner designed to eliminate as many germs as possible, here are the steps that you should follow according to the CDC:
1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold) then turn off the tap and apply soap to your hands.
2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Be sure to also lather the back of your hands, between your fingers, and underneath your fingernails.
3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. If you need a timer, humming the “Happy Birthday Song” twice from beginning to end is a close approximation.
4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dryer
Be sure to pay attention to important details such as remembering to lather between your fingers and underneath your fingernails, scrubbing your hands for an appropriate amount of time, and using a clean towel to dry them. These are the details that so many people tend to miss and the reason why so few people wash their hands correctly.
When Should You Wash Your Hands?
Populations of pathogens can grow surprisingly quickly, making it important to wash your hands frequently throughout the day. Along with frequent handwashing, though, there are also plenty of circumstances that trigger the need to wash your hands right then and there.
According to the CDC, key times to wash your hands include:
- Before, during, and after preparing food
- Before and after eating food
- Before and after carrying someone who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea
- Before and after treating a wound
- After using the toilet
- After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
- After coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose
- After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
- After handling pet food or pet treats
- After handling garbage
This National Handwashing Awareness Week, make sure that you are washing your hands frequently and using proper handwashing technique. At Bikham Healthcare, we want to see all of our readers healthy and protected against disease, and proper handwashing is one of the best tools that you have available for keeping both yourself and others safe.