A 2007 observational survey of hand washing behaviour carried out for the American Society for Microbiology revealed that approximately one in four people did not wash their hands after using public restrooms. Perhaps these particular people could not be bothered, they didn’t understand the importance of doing it, or they simply thought that not washing their hands "just this once" wouldn’t hurt.
Why Should People Wash Their Hands?
When people touch contaminated surfaces with their hands, and then touch their eyes, nose or mouth, germs can easily enter the body. Neglecting to wash the hands can transmit viruses such as colds, flu, and hepatitis, as well as bacteria that cause diarrhoea and food poisoning, including E. coli and salmonella.
Frequent, proper hand washing is the simplest, most effective way of preventing the spread of bacteria and reducing the risk of becoming sick. Hand washing is the single most important way of preventing the spread of disease. Washing the hands is particularly important during the cold and flu season as it helps prevent the spread of these viruses.
When People Should Wash Their Hands
People should wash their hands frequently throughout the day, but it is all the more important at particular times, such as:
- After going to the toilet (at home and when using public bathrooms), after taking someone else to the toilet, and after changing a nappy.
- After blowing the nose, or coughing into the hands or a tissue. Hands that have touched the eyes, nose or mouth can transmit germs to other surfaces and be picked up by other people.
- After having contact with someone who is sick, including shaking hands with someone who has a cold.
- Before, during and after preparing food, and before serving and eating food.
- When handling raw eggs and meat, poultry and seafood. Bacteria that causes food poisoning can be transferred from raw foods to cooked foods.
- After handling money, garbage, public telephones, animals, and smoking cigarettes.
The Proper Hand Washing Procedure
There is more to washing the hands than a quick rinse under the cold tap. The time should be taken to wash the hands properly. Here is the proper hand washing procedure:
- Get the sleeves out of the way. Turn the tap on and run some hot water (warm for children).
- Wet the hands, and then get some soap on them. Rub the soap into the hands firmly and lather it up.
- Rub all parts of the hands, including the palms, the backs of the hands, the sides of the hands, and the wrists. Also clean in between the fingers and under the fingernails.
- Wash the hands for at least 20 seconds and rinse.
- Dry hands thoroughly with a paper towel.
- Taps have germs on them, so after drying the hands, if the tap is not automatic, use a paper towel to turn it off so as to avoid touching it. The paper provides a barrier against any bacteria lurking on the tap and prevents recontamination of freshly-cleaned hands.
Sometimes it may not be possible to wash the hands, such as when travelling, camping or having a picnic. Perhaps the hand washing services that are available are unsanitary, and it may seem more like a health hazard to wash the hands than to avoid doing so. In such cases, hand wipes or hand gels that contain ethyl alcohol or isopropanol to kill germs are an effective alternative to soap and water.
For more information about colds and flu and preventing the spread of these viruses, readers may be interested in What are the Differences Between Colds and Flu? and How to Avoid Catching a Cold or the Flu Virus.
Resources:
- American Society for Microbiology. “Hygiene Habits Stall: Public Hand Washing Down.” (Accessed 9th October 2009)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Wash Your Hands.” (Accessed 9th October 2009)
- WebMD. “Hand-Washing - Topic Overview.” (Accessed 9th October 2009)
Sharon Kirby - Sharon is a freelance health writer and contributes to various print and online publications. Writing credits include Nursing Times, Good ...
