Handwashing
The Way to Prevent the Spread of Disease

• Why Is Handwashing Important?
• How Can Washing Your Hands Keep You Healthy?
• When Should You Wash Your Hands?
• Is Hand Washing Technique Important?

Handwashing is accepted as the most important practice for preventing the transmission of infections and disease. Hands, more than any other part of our bodies, are in constant contact with the environment and are therefore, exposed to many contaminants. Hands are the most common means by which contaminants are transmitted to a place where they may cause infection. Handwashing with soap and water suspends micro-organisms (or germs) allowing them to be easily rinsed off. This protects you and other people from germs that could make you sick.

Microbes or germs on your hands that you may never see! But that can make you sick.

Why is hand washing important?

Washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water is the single most important thing you can to do to prevent the spread of germs and protect yourself and others.

How can washing your hands keep you healthy?

Germs can be found everywhere. Bacteria and viruses that cause colds and infectious diseases such as hepatitis A, E. coli, shigella, and salmonella, are spread through contact with a contaminated surface or by persons who don't wash their hands after using the bathroom. Washing your hands correctly will greatly reduce the chances of having those germs enter your body when you touch your nose or mouth, or spreading them to others through handling food or person to person contact.

When should you wash your hands?

• Before preparing or handling foods
• After touching raw meat, fish or poultry
• Before and after meals
• Before you do any kind of activity that involves putting your fingers in or near your mouth, eyes, etc.
• After going to the bathroom or changing diapers
• After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing on your hands
• After touching a cut or sore
• Tend to someone who's sick
• Put in or take out contact lenses
• After handling pets, especially reptiles and exotic animals
• Whenever they're dirty

Is hand washing technique important?

Knowing how to wash your hands correctly is just as important as knowing when to wash them. Just rinsing them quickly is not enough. When you wash your hands:

• Always use warm, running water and soap.
• Rub hands together vigorously until a soapy lather appears and continue for 20 seconds. Be sure to wash all surfaces thoroughly, including the wrists, fingers, palms and top of hands, between fingers, and under fingernails.
• Rinse hands under warm running water. Leave the water running while drying hands.
• Dry hands with a clean, disposable (single use) towel.
• Turn the faucet off using the towel as a barrier between your hands and the faucet handle.

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Microbes found on a cutting board. (© Dennis Kunkel)

Additional Resources:

Center for Disease Control and Prevention