Washing your hands is one of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent a range of diseases from cold and flu and hepatitis A to infectious diarrhoea. Make sure you’re washing your hands the right way by following these tried and tested techniques.
Warm Up and Lather Up
Warm water works best for cleaning your hands. However, you should always use a generous amount of soap to kill any lingering germs or viruses. Warm water alone will not do the trick!
Swap Hands
You’re either left- or right-handed, which means you naturally favour one hand getting clean over the other. It takes a little time to get used to, but give your hands an equal scrubbing.
Time Your Wash
Wash your hands all the way up to your wrists for a good 15 seconds, or about the time it takes to recite the alphabet.
Rinse and Repeat
Finally, rinse your hands completely until all the soap is gone. Then use these techniques every time you wash your hands. The most important times to wash your hands are when you are preparing food, after you use the bathroom (don’t laugh, one in three people don’t do this), or when someone in the household – including you – is experiencing cold and flu symptoms.
By developing a habit of proper hand washing throughout the household, you are taking one of the most simple and effective steps towards ensuring proper health for you and your family.