Correct Hand Washing Technique

Many people do not wash their hands, but even more do not wash their hands properly, which is almost as bad as not washing them at all! Proper hand washing is not just splashing your finger tips with a bit of water.

Correct hand washing technique should ensure all surfaces of the hand (including wrists, finger-tips and fingernails) are thoroughly soaped, scrubbed, rinsed and dried with a clean towel. This should take you at least fifteen seconds, or about the time it takes to sing happy birthday twice through! Try to sing in your head in public...

Here's the correct hand washing process in ten straightforward steps:

• Wet your hands with plenty of warm water
• Apply enough soap or handwash to cover all the surfaces of your hand (from fingertip to wrist!)
• Rub your hands together, palm to palm
• Rub your right palm over the left with interlaced fingers and then vice versa
• Now rub palm to palm with your fingers interlaced
• Backs of fingers to opposing palms with fingers locked
• Rotational rubbing of left thumb clasped in the right palm and vice versa
• Rub backwards and forwards with the clasped fingers of your right hands in the left and vice versa
• Rinse hands thoroughly with warm clean water
• Dry whole hand (remembering in between fingers) with a clean towel

To make this even more simple, here's a handy video demonstrating the correct technique. For more information about washing your hands, check out http://www.wash-hands.com

Hand Washing and You...

Many people do not realise how important hand washing is...

The most common and easiest way for germs to spread to both other people and surfaces is from people’s hands. The most obvious and easiest way to protect yourself from germs and the infections some of them can lead to is washing your hands properly and regularly with plenty of soap and hot water.

Some germs are harmless, but others cause illnesses varying from the irritating common cold, through to norovirus, food poisoning and flu, to the potentially deadly and headline-grabbing MRSA. Wash your hands to minimise your chances of becoming infected or infecting others around you. 

Also important...

Children…

It is a point of particular importance that children are aware of the risks of not washing their hands. Little ones are as a rule a lot more hands on than adults and are often in school and nursery environments where harmful bacteria can spread even more rapidly than usual. Kids should be fully encouraged to wash hands at the right times and using the right hand washing technique. 

Carers…

If you are a professional carer or someone who cares for a friend or relative at home who is unable to fully look after themselves, it essential to know the proper hand washing technique.  Knowing this and practising it at the right times will significantly lower the risk of passing on harmful bacteria to someone who is more prone or vulnerable to infection due to their existing condition.  

Visiting a hospital…

Whether going to see somebody or for another reason, when you visit a hospital or other environment where healthcare is provided you should make sure you should wash your hands properly when entering or leaving. There will be plenty of hand sanitising dispensers around to help you easily reduce the spread of infection to those who are most susceptible to it. 


For more information see further posts and visit http://www.wash-hands.com