1. What's This?
Massage lather into your hands for at least twenty seconds.
Improper hand washing is the most common way germs are spread, transmitting not only ordinary colds and the flu, but potentially serious illnesses such as salmonellosis and hepatitis A, according to Renee R. Boyer, food safety specialist at the Virginia Cooperative Extension. Although you cannot see disease-causing germs on your hands, the germs can grow quickly on warm, moist skin and can spread to every surface you touch and to other people.
2. When to Wash
Wash your hands before eating or preparing food and after handling uncooked or contaminated food and garbage. Wash your hands after touching animals, taking care of sick people, changing diapers, blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing and using cleaning supplies or chemicals. Hands should be cleaned every time you go to the bathroom and any time your hands are visibly dirty.
3. Wash
Wash your hands under hot, running water. Use a generous amount of solid or liquid soap. Massage the lather into the palms and backs of your hands, between your fingers, around your wrists and under your fingernails. Rub your hands clean for at least twenty seconds.
4. Rinse
Rinse your hands under hot, running water. Pat your hands dry with a clean paper towel or use a hot air dryer. Use a paper towel to turn off the faucet and to open the bathroom door to avoid recontaminating your hands.
5. Sanitize
Cleanse your hands with an alcohol-based sanitizer if you do not have access to soap and water. Squeeze a quarter-sized dollop of sanitizer into the palm of one hand and massage the sanitizer into both hands for thirty seconds. Apply more sanitizer if your hands are dry after rubbing for ten or fifteen seconds. Use hand sanitizer as an option only when soap and water are not available, recommends the University of Florida Extension website.
By M.H. Dyer, eHow Contributor
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