Importance of Hand Washing

Did you know that regular hand washing is the most essential factor for maintaining good health? Every human being comes in contact with germs and bacteria in their daily life. These harmful micro organisms are present all around us like on door knobs, faucets, light switches, railings, etc. People touch these things while doing their routine work, without thinking much about it and with the same hands touch their face, eyes, nose and sometimes eat food too. While performing these acts, the germs and bacteria get into the body, causing several diseases. Hence, it is importance for all of us to know the importance of hand washing.

Why is Hand Washing Important?
The most important advantage of hand washing is that you prevent yourself from getting infected by a number of dangerous ailments. People who are careless about washing their hands are at a higher risk of catching a cold or flu. Not washing hands has also the ability to cause gastrointestinal illnesses and also diarrhea which can spread to the whole family. It has also been seen that improper or not washing hands can cause pneumonia in old people and in people who are diagnosed with chronic diseases. As not washing hands can affect the health of your entire family, learning the proper way of hand washing is essential to stay healthy.

Process of Hand Washing
Though people know the importance of hand washing, not many know how to do it properly. Hand washing does not means just running water over your palms. It has to be done very carefully and in detail. Along with warm water, the most essential thing required to wash your hands is soap. First, you have to wet your hands with water and then lather your hands with soap and scrub thoroughly, with the soap reaching both the sides of your hands till the wrist and also between your fingers. Then, wash off the soap with water and pat it dry with a towel or a tissue paper.

Other methods of washing hands when one cannot access soap and water is by making use of an alcohol based sanitizer. One has to take a pea sized sanitizer in the palm and spread it on the entire hands till it dries. Wiping one's hands with antimicrobial wipes or towelettes are also a good way of keeping one's hands clean.

When to Wash Your hands?
To prevent the dangers of not washing your hands, it is essential for you to know when it is extremely important to wash your hands.

• After using the washroom at home or at any public place.
• After visiting a patient at the hospital.
• Before as well as after eating food.
• Before and after one starts cooking food, especially meat, fish and poultry.
• After changing a baby's diaper.
• After touching pets or cleaning their feces.
• Before touching young infants and children.
• Before and after touching injured areas and changing the dressing of a wounded person.
• After collecting and throwing out garbage.
• After sneezing, coughing and blowing your nose.

Knowing the importance of washing hands will help you in avoiding infectious diseases. People who work in hospitals and other health sectors have to keep a strict check on hygiene and should learn the proper ways of hand washing. However, one must remember that even at home we can get infected with diseases due to bacteria and so it is necessary for you to teach the proper method of hand washing to your family, especially your children. Children love to play with mud and sand, which house a lot of germs. By teaching your kids the importance of hand washing, you would be taking a very crucial step towards healthy living.