How to Make a Sign to Use Hand Sanitizer

Washing your hands or using hand sanitizer is incredibly important in keeping both yourself and others free from germs and disease. Although most people know about the importance of clean hands, it is easy to forget, so it is a good idea to have a sign as a reminder. This is particularly true in areas where people frequently come into contact with others, such as schools or offices. Having a sign that is effective at reminding people to clean their hands can be a crucial piece of a healthy environment.

Instructions

• 1

  Decide if you want the sign on the bottle of hand sanitizer or near it. If the sign is on the bottle, it will still be applicable if the bottle is moved. However, if it is above or next to the bottle, the sign can be bigger and more eye-catching. Consider those using the hand-sanitizing when making this decision. For instance, in a school, children may be more likely to move the bottle, while in a workplace, adults will probably leave it where it is.

• 2

  Consider advice from Dina F. Mandoli from the Department of Biology and Center for Developmental Biology at the University of Washington on how to get your message across. She says it is important for the sign to be readable, legible, organized and succinct, and to remember that you have an average of only 11 seconds to get your message across.

• 3

  Pick the appropriate tone and style to reach your intended audience. Children might respond to bright colors and pictures, while adults might prefer more neutral tones. In some situations, humor might be an effective way to reach people, but in more formal environments, this might not be appropriate.

• 4

  Make the sign. Dean Rieck of CopyBlogger.com suggests that people make decisions based on emotion, and then back those decisions up with facts. Using this logic, use wording that plays to both of these factors to increase the effectiveness of your sign. For instance, the first line of the sign could read "Don't Get Sick!" followed on the next line by, "The Center for Disease Control says clean hands are one of the most important ways to prevent bacteria and viruses."

• 5

  Ask how people like your sign, and if it was effective in reminding them to use hand sanitizer. If you don't notice an increase in use, you might want to try making the sign bigger or changing the tone of the message. Remember that most people will appreciate being reminded to do such an important activity.