Personal hygiene begins and ends with our hands. And though we’re taught as youngsters to wash our hands before dinner, it’s important to remember that germs don’t care what time of day it is. Clean hands prevent sickness. So it’s especially important to learn the basics about hand hygiene.
- Do it right. Experts recommend washing your hands with soap and clean water for at least 20 seconds. Be sure to get a good lather going and clean the back of the hands, between the fingers and under the nails. Dry them using a clean towel. There is a lot of science behind these recommendations, so be sure to follow them each time you wash your hands.
- Memorize the five steps. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention call hand washing “a do-it-yourself vaccine” and suggests remembering five easy steps: Wet, lather, scrub, rinse, dry.
- Learn the Four Principles of Hand Awareness. Endorsed by the American Medical Association and American Academy of Family Physicians, the four principles are: 1) Wash your hands before preparing food and eating; 2) Do not cough into hands; 3) Do not sneeze into hands; and 4) don’t put your fingers in your eyes, nose or mouth.
