Hand-Washing Refresher Course
Kids are returning to school and now�s a great time to refresh your entire family on hand-washing must-dos!
Must use clean water
Clean water is the number one thing you need to wash your hands. Even without using soap, clean water can help rid your hands of a large percentage of particles and illness-causing germs. When soap is available, use it.
Must wash long enough
Simply running the hands under water won�t give them the thorough rinsing they need. It takes about 20 seconds to efficiently cover the tops of the hands, palms, fingers, in-between fingers and wrists with water, massaging the water into the skin and removing germs.
Must dry with clean towel or forced air
Whether you use a clean towel or an electric hand dryer, drying the hands is the final step in the process. If possible, it�s best to dry hands with a clean towel and then use that towel to turn off the water faucet. Many restrooms are using hand dryers and no handle doors or door mounted openers that will allow you to use your foot to open the door. Kudos to these businesses!
You might be thinking, �I know how to wash my hands, but is it really necessary?�
Consider this scenario:
You are in a public place and you need to use the restroom. You grab the door handle and walk into the bathroom. You grab a second handle to enter the stall. After using the restroom, you might touch the toilet paper dispenser. You use your hand to flush and then use your hand, again, to open the stall door.
This is FIVE possible contact points with germs carried into the restroom by potentially hundreds of people over the course of a day, not to mention the germs associated with restroom usage.
Isn�t it worth your time to spend 20 seconds washing your hands?
Wash your hands�
� Before, during, and after preparing food
� Beforeeating food
� Before and after caring for someone who is sick
� Before and after treating a cut or wound
� Afterusing the toilet
� Afterchanging diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
� Afterblowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
� Aftertouching an animal, animal feed or animal waste
� Aftertouching garbage