Hand Hygiene

Washing your hands is THE BEST way to fight the spread of disease--including colds and flu.


How to Wash Your Hands:
1. Wet hands (use warm water if possible)
2. Soap (apply liquid or bar soap to hands)
3. Wash 15-20 seconds (Rub hands together. Remember to rub around/under your fingernails and in between your fingers) (15-20 seconds = the time it takes to sing the ABCs song once or the Happy Birthday song twice.)
4. Rinse
5. DRY (Use a clean towel/paper towel)
6. Turn off the water with the paper towel/towel or your sleeve.
(7. Use paper towel or sleeve to open bathroom door before throwing the paper towel away.)


Click here for a hand washing poster


The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) put together this video about hand hygiene:


I love the beginning of the video where animation shows bacteria spreading. Gross. I wash my hands before eating, after going to the bathroom, before fixing food/meds, after coming home from anywhere, and after changing diapers. I always forget to wash up after handling money. Someone needs to invent germ-resistant money!


My friend came home from her first day at the cadaver lab. The lesson had been on hand washing. She was so grossed out - thinking about all the germs on everything. She washed her hands like crazy for months. I wonder if she still washes her hands correctly.