Proper Hand Washing Techniques

The Centers for Disease Control states that 'hand washing is considered the single most important means of preventing the spread of infection'. Most of the diseases are caused by germs carried on the hands. 99% of the spread of germs traveling through droplets can be prevented by proper hand washing. People using public restrooms are susceptible to being infected by germs left behind by people who fail to practice good hand hygiene. Moreover, germs can also be picked up while handling library material, common keyboards, etc. Every individual needs to wash his or her hands properly, to reduce disease transmission. Proper hand washing techniques involve washing of the hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Hand Washing Techniques

Washing With Soap and Water:

• Turn on the tap and allow the running water to wet the hands and wrists. While using a public restroom, one should consider the sink and faucet controls contaminated, thus one must avoid touching the sink. One should turn on the tap by using a paper towel.
• Use a clean soap bar or liquid soap and apply soap to the hands. Soaps are excellent cleansing agents and work well to remove the dirt. The soap should be worked into a lather.
• For at least 15-20 seconds rub the hands vigorously together. This is because friction helps remove microorganisms and dirt from the hands.
• Scrub the hands thoroughly, including the back of the hands, between the fingers, around the cuticles and under the fingernails and wrists.
• Under a stream of running water, rinse the hands well. The running water carries away the debris and dirt from the hands. While rinsing point the fingers downwards, thereby allowing the water to drip downwards instead of moving towards the elbows and contaminating it.
• With a clean towel or disposable paper towel, dry the hands. If using a public restroom, a paper towel should be used to turn the faucet off.
• Soap can become a breeding ground for microorganisms, thus one must thoroughly clean soap dispensers before refilling the them with fresh liquid soap.

Washing With Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer:

When soap and water are not available, alcohol based hand sanitizers prove to be an excellent alternative. In fact, these hand sanitizers are more effective in killing viruses and bacteria as compared to soap and water. Hand sanitizers can help prevent skin dryness, but some of them may lack alcohol content and are therefore not recommended. Only the alcohol based ones should be used. Hand washing with a sanitizer simply requires the application of about half a teaspoon of hand sanitizer on the hand and rubbing the hands together till the hands are dry. The hand sanitizer should cover all the surfaces of the hands. For visibly dirty and soiled hands, soap and water is needed.

There are times when it is important to carry out proper hand washing using proper hand washing techniques. One must always wash hands:

• after using the toilet
• before eating
• after handling garbage
• after touching animals and their waste
• after coughing, sneezing or blowing the nose
• before preparing food
• before and after treating wounds and cuts
• before and after meeting an injured or sick person
• after changing a diaper
• before removing or inserting contact lenses

The combination of rubbing the hands thoroughly with regular soap and water and rinsing them prevents the transmission of bacteria and viruses. Using pre-moistened towelettes for cleaning the hands cannot be termed as proper hand washing. They cannot be used as substitutes for soap and water.