Hand Washing

Good hygiene is an essential element to healthy living.  Keeping your hands clean is one of the
most important things you can do for your health and the health of those around you.  I work in
the food industry so I have a lot of knowledge and experience in hand washing.

Wash your hands often.  Having clean hands helps to avoid illness and helps to keep us
from spreading germs.

When to wash.  Washing your hands is particularly important before you eat or touch food.  
Also wash your hands thoroughly after touching pets or other animals, after using the restroom,
after blowing your nose, after coughing, after touching your face or hair, after picking items up
off of the floor, after touching anything that is dirty and after visiting anyone who is ill.

How to wash effectively.  Wet hands with water about as warm as you can tolerate and
apply soap.  Rub your hands together to lather and make sure to include your fingernails,
between your fingers and all of the way up to your wrists.  Wash for at least 20 seconds.  If you
sing the words to the song "Happy Birthday"  to yourself that takes about 20 seconds.  That
is a helpful little reminder especially for children on how long they should be rubbing the soap
onto their hands.  After 20 seconds of lathering, rinse well with the warm running water.  Dry
your hands with a clean single use paper towel and use the towel to turn off water prior to
discarding the paper.

If soap and running water are not available, alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be used instead
but you should use soap and water whenever possible.
Personal Finance and Wellness