Handwashing Fact Sheet

"Clean hands saves lives" is one of the mottoes of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. However, just washing your hands might not be enough to protect you and those you love. Learning why you should wash your hands, when to wash and how to properly wash your hands is essential to warding off potentially fatal illness and disease.

Why wash your hands?

• Hand washing is the easiest way to prevent the spread of disease and illness, yet many people do not wash their hands often enough. Hand washing also prevents the spread of infection. With "super bugs" that cause infections such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA, hand washing is not only important, it is essential to good health.

When to wash your hands

• The Center for Disease Control and Prevention advises you to wash your hands after going to the bathroom, after changing diapers, before and after taking care of someone who is ill, after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing, after working with an animal or its waste, after handling garbage, before and after treating a cut or wound, or handling bodily fluids.

How to wash your hands

• Begin with warm water. Wet your hands and apply soap. Rub soapy hands vigorously for about 20 seconds, paying special attention to between your fingers and under your nails. Rinse well and dry with a paper towel. Turn faucet off with paper towel. An air dryer is the most sanitary way to dry your hands if one is available.

Is Hand Sanitizer as Good as Soap and Water?

• Using hand sanitizer is not as good as soap and water, but when washing your hands is not possible, then using a sanitizer that has an alcohol content of at least 62 percent will work. The CDC recommends using a gel type sanitizer.

Children and Hand washing

• Children need help and encouragement learning good hand-washing techniques. Observing and teaching your child how to properly wash their hands will pay off when they practice good hand hygiene.