How To Wash Your Hands

This post may contain affiliate links, and I will be compensated (at no extra cost to you) when you make a purchase by clicking on my links.

I’m not trying to insult anyone’s intelligence here. I realize that everybody knows how to wash their hands. But here’s my concern. The CDC recently announced that more than 900 people in the U.S. have died from influenza-related illnesses over the past two months.

Imagine if a previously unknown illness suddenly killed 900 people in our country. Wouldn’t we panic? And wouldn’t we do everything possible to avoid catching and spreading the illness?

Unfortunately, I think we’ve become so accustomed to the flu going around every year that we’ve become complacent. The statistics don’t scare us anymore. That is until one of those people that dies from influenza is your mother, brother, or child.

We know that there are two major steps we can take to help prevent the flu: vaccinations and handwashing. Regardless of how you may feel about vaccinations, I don’t think anyone has objections to handwashing.

The problem is that sometimes we become careless about when and how we wash our hands. This puts us as well as those around us at risk. Even as a nurse, I’ll admit that there probably are times when I’m not as conscientious as I should be.

That’s why today I’m going over the finer points of handwashing. I’m hoping this will make each of us more aware of our role in preventing the spread of influenza. In the end, we just might save some lives.

First, let’s look at some times when it’s important to wash our hands.

Before:

• Eating
• Preparing food
• Inserting or removing contact lenses
• Caring for people who are at risk for illness

After:

• Using the toilet
• Handling garbage
• Changing a diaper
• Blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing

Ok, that was a no-brainer. We usually wash our hands before and/or after those activities, right?

But do you always wash your hands after:

• Touching an animal
• Using a shopping cart or an ATM
• Leaving a place where sick people congregate like a clinic, pharmacy, or healthcare facility
• Using public transportation
• Exiting a plane

Hmm. Maybe we’re not doing so well with this handwashing business after all.

Now let’s look at the proper technique for washing our hands.

You all know the basics, but these are a few points where we sometimes become lax.

• Scrub all areas of your hands for at least 20 seconds. (That’s about how long it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice!)
• In most situations, antibacterial soap is unnecessary and can lead to the development of more resistant bacteria.
• Whenever possible, turn off the water with a paper towel instead of touching the dirty faucet with your clean hands.
• Chapped hands become an invitation for infection, so use a moisturizer when needed.

So, what about hand sanitizer gels?

Washing with soap and water using the correct technique is the best way to assure your hands are clean. However, hand sanitizers are a great option when you can’t use soap and water. That being said, we need to keep a few considerations in mind:

• Hand sanitizers containing at least 60% alcohol are most effective at killing germs.
• Use about a dime-sized amount of gel.
• Rub hands thoroughly for at least 30 seconds to assure the gel reaches all areas.
• Don’t touch anything until the gel dries.
• Gels aren’t as effective if dirt or grease is on your hands.
• Be aware that gel hand sanitizers may not be effective against some strains of organisms such as norovirus or C-diff.

Here’s a challenge. As you go through your day tomorrow, really pay attention to when and how you wash your hands. Is there room for improvement?

Please note: These are general guidelines to help prevent the spread of influenza and other infectious diseases. Certain circumstances (children, healthcare facilities, specific pathogens, compromised immune systems, etc.) may require different protocols.