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How to Wash Your Hands

Hand Washing Prevents the Spread of Flu, but Only If You Do It Right

Sep 16, 2009 Avery Hurt

Hand washing tops the list when it comes to preventing the spread of infection. But the quick rinse off that all too often passes for hand washing is not enough.

According to the CDC, as much as 80 percent of infectious disease is transmitted by the hands, so naturally keeping the hands clean goes a long way to stop the spread of infection. Most people learned the importance of hand washing from their mothers, but if the goal in washing up is not just to get mom off your back, but to get rid of viruses, then take this refresher course in hand washing and keep yourself and those around you healthy.

Be Generous With the Soap

Work up plenty of suds. Regular soap doesn’t kill germs, but it does a great job of getting rid of them. Dirt and surface oils bind with the soap and are washed away in the warm water – and take hapless viruses with them. Soap also makes it easier to slide your hands over each other so that you can get to all the nooks and crannies where germs are lurking.

Use Warm Water

Warm water won’t kill germs either, but the dirt and oils that the germs are living in will be easier to dislodge in warm water than in cold. In a pinch, though, cold water will do. It’s certainly better to wash your hands in cold water than to not wash them at all. You don't need to use very hot water, though. Hot water can damage the oils in your skin and make you even more susceptible to infection.

Do It Often

Every time you touch something – a door handle, the card reader at the supermarket, the mail on the kitchen table – you are also touching lots and lots of microbes. Most of them are harmless, but some aren’t. Without becoming obsessive about it, it’s a good idea to wash your hands frequently, especially during flu season. Several times a day is good, but there are certain times that hand washing is especially important. Always wash your hands before preparing food, after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose, and after using the bathroom.

Take Your Time

The biggest mistake most people make when washing up is that they do it too fast. In order to get the job done effectively, you need to spend at least 20 seconds scrubbing, making sure to wash all parts of your hands – tops, backs, around the nails, and in between the fingers.

If you want to reduce the chances that you’ll get (or spread) the flu, learn how to wash your hands the right way and take the twenty seconds to do it properly. As they say around the CDC, “washing hands saves lives.”

for Further Reading:

Tips for Staying Well During Flu Season

The copyright of the article How to Wash Your Hands in General Medicine is owned by Avery Hurt. Permission to republish How to Wash Your Hands in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.