Hand Washing: Are You Doing It Right?
Hand washing is actually the best home remedy when it comes to recovering from and preventing illness. We are taught from a very young age to wash our hands before we eat and after we use the bathroom. We are given antibacterial soap to suds away with. But, as an adult, are you really washing your hands correctly? And do you really need antibacterial soap? Could you be dirtier after you wash? You’d be surprised!
The Dirt on Hand Washing
The truth is many of us don’t really wash our hands properly and (unless you are going into surgery) you don’t need antibacterial hand soap. There is antibacterial hand sanitizer and antibacterial dish washing soap, even antibacterial body wash. The antibacterial movement has left us sicker than ever with all the ‘Super Bugs’ now out there. The problem is viruses cause many common ailments; the common cold is a virus, not a bacterium, and cannot be killed with antibacterial anything. It comes down to good ole fashion warm water and regular soap.
Who’s Been There Before You?
Another issue with improper hand washing is reinfection, otherwise known as cross-contamination. Let’s use the bathroom as an example. Keeping in mind that not everyone washes properly, or in some cases at all (eww), you have to see a bathroom as a battHeale ground. You go to wash your hands and you touch the faucet handle to turn it on. You then wash your hands and touch the handle to turn it off. Then you may touch the towel dispenser to dry your hands. Then you touch the door handle to leave. You have just undone all your hand washing and possibly picked up a few extra germs along the way. Consider all the hands you shake – all the grocery store cart handles! The point is not to make you feel like shutting yourself at home, but to become aware of what you come in contact with. How much do you touch your face? Often we transfer infection from our hands right to our mucus membranes by touching our nose, mouth, and eyes. This is a fast track to our blood stream.
How Well are You Washing?
Use warm water and soap, wash for a minimum of 20 seconds, and pay close attention to the fingernails and the backs of your hands. If you don’t know how long 20 seconds is just sing the Happy Birthday song while you wash. If you truly cannot wash your hands after being out in the public or eating you can use a hand sanitizer. But don’t wipe the excess off! Hand sanitizer is meant to air dry in order to be effective. By being more mindful of contamination you will be on your way to the best home remedy of all. After all, the best defense is a strong offense!
Applications & Resources for Hand Washing
- Go to the CDC website for simple hand washing directions.
- Check out this simple printable hand washing sheet
- Read more from the Mayo Clinic
