Hand washing remains to be one of the easiest and simplest ways to keep yourself from getting sick. However, while it may seem obvious, it’s important to understand how to do it most effectively.
When and How to Wash Your Hands
Germs can be transferred easily. You can make yourself sick or spread germs to others when you touch anything on your face or any surface.
The physicians of Premier Surgical Associates in Knoxville and Cleveland, Tennessee, remind you to keep yourself and the people around you healthy by washing your hands properly at these key times:
• Before, during, and after preparing food
• Before and after eating food
• Before and after caring for someone who is sick, especially if the person is vomiting or having diarrhea
• Before and after treating a wound or cut
• After using the toilet or changing a diaper
• After blowing your nose
• After touching and feeding an animal
• After cleaning up an animal’s waste
• After handling trash
How to properly wash your hands:
• Wet your hands
Wet your hands with clean, running water.
• Apply soap and lather
Lather your hands by rubbing them together. Don’t forget to lather the back of your hands, the spaces between your fingers, and under your nails.
• Scrub your hands
Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. You can recite the alphabet or the “Happy Birthday” song.
• Rinse well
Rinse your hands under clean, running water.
• Dry and moisturize
Make sure you dry your hands thoroughly with a clean towel. If your hands tend to get too dry, you can moisturize them with lotion after drying. Dry hands are prone to cracking, and those cracks can pick up and shed germs easily. Painful chapping may also lead to less frequent hand washing (even when there’s a need to).
Washing our hands is something we may often take for granted. So, it’s always good to keep it top of mind to help our Premier Surgical patients and the community stay safe and healthy!