How to Scrub Staph From Skin

Staph, or staphylococcus, is a common bacteria that often lives on the skin around the nose, mouth and genitals. Usually, staph doesn't cause illness on the surface of the skin, but if the bacteria gets into broken skin or a wound, infection ensues. Because antibiotic-resistent strains of staph, such as MRSA, are becoming more and more common, preventing the spread of staph via contaminated hands and nails is important. The best way to prevent staph from spreading is by scrubbing your hands correctly.

Things You'll Need

• Soap
• Water
• Sink or shower
• Clean towel

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Instructions

• 1

  To scrub staph from the skin, remove all jewelry from hands or areas of skin needing to be cleaned. Wet hands thoroughly with warm water.

• 2

  Apply soap to hands. Rub hands together vigorously away from water for at least 10 seconds to create lather. Make sure you wash all areas on your hands, including between your fingers and under your nails.

• 3

  To make sure you remove all staph from your hands, use a surgeon-style scrub brush to scrub the front and back of each finger, between the fingers, and the front and back of each hand for at least 2 minutes.

• 4

  Rinse staph from your hands thoroughly by rubbing them under clean water for at least 30 seconds. Make sure the sudsy water drains straight into the sink and not down your arms--this can lead to contamination of other skin.

• 5

  Dry your hands and skin thoroughly with a clean towel. Wash the towel before using it again.

• 6

  If you want to scrub other areas of your skin besides your hands, remove your clothing and get in the shower. Wash your hands as stated above, then lather more soap on your hands and rub the suds over your skin. Scrub all of the skin, then rinse with water. Repeat the process one more time. A removable, hand-held shower nozzle works best for rinsing the lather straight off the skin.