Handwashing – Why It’s Important

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Overview

Contaminated hands are often the leading reason why infections and other illnesses are spread from person o person. That is why washing your hands is something that should be done frequently to prevent these issues from spreading. There are several illnesses, such as gastroenteritis that can cause severe issues for young child and the elderly. However, with proper washing and drying of your hands, you can help to avoid spreading these germs.

When to Hand Wash

You should always wash your hands throughout. But, here are some times in which you should be washing your hands:

• Before handling food
• Before eating
• After going to the toilet or changing diapers
• After smoking
• After handling any type of tissue or handkerchief
• After working outside or handling garbage
• After dealing with animals
• If you are around someone who is sick

Washing Hands Properly

To ensure that you are washing your hands in a way that will get rid of the germs, be sure that you are washing your hands properly. The proper way for hand washing is:

1. Place your hands under warm running water
2. Apply some soap, and later this on the hands for longer than 20 seconds
3. Rub hands together rapidly with the soap and be sure to get between fingers and under nails if necessary
4. Wash your wrists as well
5. Remove the rings and watches that you may have on to avoid damage if needed
6. Rinse under the warm water until all traces of soap is removed
7. Pat your hands on paper towels to dry or utilize heated air for drying your hands
8. Be sure to dry under rings and watches, as the water that is left there can cause contamination

Always use warm water when washing your hands, instead of cold water. Cold water can be used if you are in an area that does not have warm water. However, soap becomes more effective with warm water than cold water. Be sure that you are not using extremely hot water, as this can damage the skin and cause dermatitis over time.

Defense Against Germs

Germs can be transmitted in several ways, as well as:

• Someone touching you with dirty hands
• The changing of diapers
• By means unclean liquids or food
• When a person coughs or sneezes droplets are released into the air
• Touching dirty surfaces
• Being in contact with a person’s bodily fluids while they are sick

Washing your hands correctly should be on top of your list when touching or handling something that is polluted or dirty.

Related Video On Hand Washing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYwypSLiaTU