I have so much going on, I rush. It began to feel as if I was washing my hands every time I turned about. That got me to thinking whether I am washing my hands properly or am I wasting my time.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), here is the proper way to wash your hands:
"Wet your hands with running water and apply soap. Lather well and rub your hands vigorously for at least 20 seconds. Remember to scrub the back of your hands, between your fingers and your fingernails. Rinse thoroughly and dry with a disposable or clean towel. When in a public facility, use your towel to turn off the faucet and open the door,
The Mayo Clinic says that it doesn't have to be "hot" water. Warm or even cold water is fine. I didn't know that.
Hum the "Happy Birthday" song from beginning to end twice so you wash your hands long enough. (A quick splash and dry won't be as effective getting rid of germs on your hands.)
As you go through your day, you accumulate germs on your hands when you touch people, objects and surfaces. Then you infect yourself with these germs by touching your mouth, nose or eyes. Even though it is impossible to keep your hands germ-free, you can limit the transfer of bacteria, viruses and other microbes by washing your hands frequently.
My honey and I make it easy to soap up and wash. We no longer use "bar" soap that gets gooey in the soap dish.
We prefer Dial Complete Foaming Anti-bacterial Hand Wash. It's comes in a pump style so we never need to "touch" the used bar of soap. That's a small step in the right direction.
Washing your hands regularly and properly stops the spread of germs. It's something that's easy to do to be healthy and safe. Even if you already wash your hands, take the time to do it often and right. It's always worthwhile to practice good sanitary habits.