Why and How to Wash your Hands

One of the fastest ways germs spread is by hand contact or inhalation. When you’re out and about you might not think about all the surfaces you’re touching and how many other people touch them, too. This includes people who might be sick. Your body is strong enough to fend off multiple viruses and bacteria, but your immune system can only take so much.

By washing your hands, you give yourself the best chance to avoid spreading germs and getting sick.

So, when should you wash your hands? While you should always practice good hand hygiene, these are some of the key times you should wash your hands:

To keep your life as germ-free as possible and your loved ones safe, make sure to wash your hands at these key times.

Food

When you’re getting into the flow of cooking, you might forget to wash your hands in between steps. According to the CDC, in 2023 97% of study subjects cross-contaminated spice containers in their kitchen by not washing their hands properly.

Before you prepare your next delicious dinner, check this list to make sure you’re practicing safe hand hygiene and washing your hands:

By using the right handwashing steps during the cooking process you’ll prevent infection with salmonella. As one of the most common bacteria in your kitchen, dealing with raw meat and eggs is when your potential exposure to it is most likely.

Salmonella infections cause uncomfortable stomach flu-like symptoms such as diarrhea and fever.

By washing your hands and cooking utensils you avoid ingesting the bacteria or cross-contaminating other foods and items in your kitchen.

Animals

Your furry friends make wonderful companions but sometimes their explorations (rolling around in the mud) can lead them to making some germ friends of their own. To prevent them from spreading germs your way you should always wash your hands when:

Washing your hands after dealing with your pets is a great way to stop the spread of germs as well as help with allergies. Because pet fur and saliva carry the protein responsible for allergic reactions, washing your hands can help prevent this.

Caregiving

When you’re caring for someone there’s a high chance that you’ll be exposed to their bodily fluids. This can come in the form of snot, diarrhea, salvia, or blood from broken sores or wounds.

If you’re caring for someone, remember to wash your hands if you change an incontinence pad, come in contact with blood, or you’re help someone who’s sick. To prevent yourself and them from getting sick, washing your hands after encountering these fluids is essential.

Exposure to Bodily Fluids

Whether it’s a visit to the bathroom or dealing with a wound, your bodily fluids can carry germs and bacteria. This is especially true if you’re sick. If you encounter bodily fluids in these ways make sure to follow the proper handwashing steps.

Keeping yourself and your loved ones safe from getting sick is one of the best reasons to wash your hands. So, the next time you’re about to cough or sneeze, remember to cover your mouth and nose, then head straight to the bathroom to wash up.

Special Situations

While most of the important moments to practice hand hygiene are covered above, there are some moments in life that you might not think of.

Follow these simple steps for washing your hands as you get them squeaky clean and germ-free in no time. Before you begin, remove any rings, watches, or bracelets you might be wearing. This is also the perfect time to get the family involved as you teach your kids the importance of washing their hands.

Wet your Hands

The first handwashing step is to wet your hands under running water before turning off the tap. It’s important to use clean running water as washing your hands in water that’s previously been used could cause contamination. Turning off the tap also helps the environment by saving water.

Apply Soap

Apply soap of choice to your hands, along with some water. Make sure your hands are well covered in soap as you lather and scrub. This key step ensures that all dirt is lifted and removed from your skin. If you’ve been working in your garden or cooking raw meat, make sure to get under your nails, too. If you’re wondering how long you should wash your hands, try for at least 20 seconds. Make it fun and hum the “Happy Birthday” song twice through. This can be a fun way to teach your kids how to wash their hands as well.

Make sure to get every corner, lathering up to your wrist and getting soap in between your fingers and the backs of your hands.

Rinse Your Hands

Now, rinse away all the dirt and germs under clean running water.

Turn Off the Water

Now that you’ve rinsed off all traces of soap, turn off your tap to avoid wasting water

Dry Your Hands

Dry your hands with a clean towel like Scott® Paper Towels. These absorbent paper towels give you a clean, fast and easy way to dry your hands every time.

Washing your hands with soap or using hand sanitizer are both great ways to remove germs. However, when it comes to choosing which to use you might want to keep a few facts in mind. Plus, swapping between the two depending on your circumstances can help prevent excessive hand dryness.

When it comes to keeping your hands free from germs and bacteria, doing the 20-second hand wash is the winner. But if you don’t have access to running water and soap or you’re on the go, using a hand sanitizer is still a great way to keep yourself and others safe from transferable germs.

When it comes to effective hand hygiene, there are many times throughout your day when washing your hands is essential. For the safety of yourself and those around you, use our guide to keep your hands clean and germ-free.

Learn how to keep germs away this season with proper hand washing! Wipe your hands clean with Scott® Paper Towels.