Washing Your Hands: The Best Way to keep Germs at Bay

 

Are you aware that as much as 80% of illness-causing germs are passed on through the hands? There are countless ways this transmission happens: during a handshake, when you touch your face with unwashed hands, when you turn a public doorknob, etc. There's some good news though: all you need to do is practice simple hygiene. And it's all about keeping the hands clean at all times.

 

You have two choices when it comes to hand cleanliness. The first is good old washing of the hands with soap and water. Second, using hand sanitizers, which are proven to be quite dependable at wiping out germs.

 

When you use soap and water to wash your hands, it is imperative that you do it properly. First, apply soap and rub your hands together for at least 15 seconds. Be sure to scrub between the fingers, the back of your hands, and the fingernails. After this, run your hands through warm, running water. Dry your hands with a clean towel, or better yet, a paper towel.

 

So at what times are you supposed to wash your hands? You might be surprised to know that most people don't know when they are supposed to observe this practice. It's possibly shocking to learn that most people have no idea how many occasions require them to wash their hands. Generally speaking, you need to clean your hands after you come into contact  with any potential source of bacteria on airplane tray table, or before you touch something that should be kept germ-free. For example, wash your hands after these specific situations: visiting the washroom, coughing or sneezing, blowing the nose, typing on a keyboard, changing diapers, etc. You'd need to clean the hands before: having a meal, cooking, touching someone's face, or yours, etc.

 

Considering the number of times we should be washing our hands, it is easy to see how the ideal can become impractical. While on your travels, away from home, you're not going to find this soap and water--but a hand sanitizer can step in as a convenient option, since you can carry it around and get to use it whenever you need to. You can find a mini-spray bottle small enough to fit in your pocket or handbag, while there are also large sizes for the family to use at home.

 

If you've been to the germ prevention in hospitals of late, you may have seen hand sanitizers installed for the purpose of preventing germs. That goes to show just how much they are going to become a part of our daily lives. You have a choice to make, however, between alcohol-based and alcohol-free hand sanitizers. Both options are effective solutions for germ prevention, though the alcohol-free on is preferred for being generally safe for the entire family to use, and the fact that it's gentle on the hands and does not have a drying effect.