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Proper Hand Washing Techniques

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Apr 29, 2009 3:14 pm US/Eastern

Proper Hand Washing Techniques

Click to enlarge 1 of 1: Hands apply anti-bacterial soap under water faucet
AP

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Hand Washing for Health begins today!

Why is hand washing important?

Hand washing, when done correctly, is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of communicable diseases.

What is good hand washing technique?

Rubbing your hands vigorously with soapy water can pull the dirt and the oily soils free from your skin. The lather from the soap suspends both the dirt and germs trapped inside foam, which is then washed away by the running water.

Follow these four simple steps to keeping hands clean:

1. Wet your hands with warm running water.

2. Add soap, then rub your hands together, making a soapy lather. Do this away from the running water for at least 20 seconds (or singing the Happy Birthday song three times), being careful not to wash the lather away. Wash the front and back of your hands, as well as between your fingers and under your nails.

3. Rinse your hands under warm running water. Make sure to let the water run back into the sink and not down to your elbows.

4. Dry hands thoroughly by rubbing or patting them with a clean and disposable towel. Then turn off the water with a clean paper towel and dispose in a proper receptacle.

What type of soap should be used?

Any type of soap may be used.

Antibacterial soap is NOT needed or necessary. It is the proper technique of hand washing that kills the germs.