How to wash your hands properly
It may seem surprising, but many people do not wash their hands when they should, or if they do, they do it incorrectly.
It may seem surprising, but many people do not wash their hands when they should, or if they do, they do it incorrectly.
Washing your hands while preparing food, after using the restroom, and generally just washing your hands can help prevent the spread of bacteria. It's fairly simple, but many people don't do it or don't do it correctly. Here are some basics; learn them to wash your hands properly.
Wet your hands. Turn on tolerably hot water and wet your hands.
Apply soap. Many people first drip soap into their hands and then rinse it off with the water running. For soap to work properly, it needs to be applied to damp hands, which will create lather.
Rub your hands together. Pay attention to the area between your fingers and up your forearm. Some people teach children to sing "Happy Birthday" while washing their hands; singing this song twice takes about 20 seconds—the recommended time for lathering and rubbing.
Rinse thoroughly.
Dry your hands. No, not with a kitchen towel that you use to dry dishes, hold hot utensils, or wipe down the counter! That will only get your hands dirty again. Dry your hands with a towel that you use exclusively for this purpose, or with a disposable paper towel.
If you prepare food, you need to wash your hands thoroughly.
Remember: The most commonly used tool in food preparation is your hands, and you need to make sure they are clean at all stages of working with food.
Here are a few situations when you definitely need to wash your hands:
After visiting the toilet (which many people forget!)
After contact with raw foods such as meat, fish, eggs
After the phone conversation
After sleep
After you sneeze, cough, or scratch yourself (even after brushing your hair)
Before and after meals
Many stores sell clear liquid that you can apply to your hands to reduce bacteria. Hand sanitizer isn't a substitute for hand washing. However, it can be used after washing your hands or when needed (for example, at a picnic when you don't have access to a bathroom). I often use hand sanitizer when I get off the subway or get in the car on the way home from work. Don't take the sanitizer out of your bag every minute—it's recommended to use it no more than 8-10 times a day. If you overuse it, bacteria can remain on your hands and won't be killed.
It's not difficult, we promise. Just follow these five basic steps:
Wet your hands. Turn on tolerably hot water and wet your hands.
Apply soap. Many people first drip soap into their hands and then rinse it off with the water running. For soap to work properly, it needs to be applied to damp hands, which will create lather.
Rub your hands together. Pay attention to the area between your fingers and up your forearm. Some people teach children to sing "Happy Birthday" while washing their hands; singing this song twice takes about 20 seconds—the recommended time for lathering and rubbing.
Rinse thoroughly.
Dry your hands. No, not with a kitchen towel that you use to dry dishes, hold hot utensils, or wipe down the counter! That will only get your hands dirty again. Dry your hands with a towel that you use exclusively for this purpose, or with a disposable paper towel.
A video on how to properly wash your hands with soap.
When to wash your hands
If you prepare food, you need to wash your hands thoroughly.
Remember: The most commonly used tool in food preparation is your hands, and you need to make sure they are clean at all stages of working with food.
Here are a few situations when you definitely need to wash your hands:
After visiting the toilet (which many people forget!)
After contact with raw foods such as meat, fish, eggs
After the phone conversation
After sleep
After you sneeze, cough, or scratch yourself (even after brushing your hair)
Before and after meals
What about hand sanitizer?
Many stores sell clear liquid that you can apply to your hands to reduce bacteria. Hand sanitizer isn't a substitute for hand washing. However, it can be used after washing your hands or when needed (for example, at a picnic when you don't have access to a bathroom). I often use hand sanitizer when I get off the subway or get in the car on the way home from work. Don't take the sanitizer out of your bag every minute—it's recommended to use it no more than 8-10 times a day. If you overuse it, bacteria can remain on your hands and won't be killed.
Read more: How to use hand sanitizer
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