Mom drilled the words into your head: Always wash your hands thoroughly before eating and after using the restroom.
But maybe you weren’t paying attention.
A recent study in the Journal of Environmental Health indicates:
- Only 5 percent of those using a restroom washed their hands long enough to kill the germs that cause infections
- One-third didn’t use soap
- 10 percent didn’t wash their hands at all
Mom would be very unhappy, with good reason.
Keeping your hands clean is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others, according to Linda Dickey, director of infection control for UC Irvine Medical Center.
You probably are not washing long enough
It takes 15 to 20 seconds of vigorous hand-washing to effectively kill the germs, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), yet the study found that on average, people are only washing their hands for about six seconds.
Hand-washing is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of many types of infection and illness in all settings — including your home, workplace, child care facilities and hospitals. Clean hands can stop germs from spreading from one person to another and throughout an entire community, according to the CDC.
When running water isn’t available, waterless hand sanitizers are also effective, says Dickey.
How to wash your hands
Other ways to avoid spreading infection
Other tips she offers to avoid spreading infection or viruses:
- Clean under your nails at least once a day
- Keep your hands away from your face
- Sneeze or cough into the crook of your arm
- After washing your hands, use your towel to turn off the faucet and open the door, if possible
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