According to the CDC, cleaning our hands is the single most important thing we can do to keep from getting sick and spreading illness to others. Of those surveyed by SDA, only 56 percent recognize that handwashing is the No. 1 way to prevent colds and flu. Thirty-seven percent of respondents wash their hands fewer than seven times on an average day.
One group which does not need as much schooling on the importance of hand hygiene is teachers, who were surveyed separately during the 2008 National Education Association Expo in Washington, D.C. Among 230 teachers who responded to on-site surveys, 97 percent correctly named cleaning hands as the best way to prevent colds and flu. Forty-nine percent say they wash their hands 15 seconds or more with soap; 91 percent always or frequently clean their hands before eating lunch.
How to Wash Your Hands to Effectively Remove Germs
1. Wet hands with warm running water prior to reaching for the soap, either in bar or liquid form.
2. Rub hands together to make a lather. Do this away from running water, so the lather isn’t washed away.
3.
4. Rinse hands well under warm running water.
5. Dry hands thoroughly with a clean towel or air dryer.
6. Hand sanitizers or hand wipes are useful alternatives if soap and water are not available (for example, when traveling in the car or taxi on the way to a business meeting, before eating an in-flight meal or snack, outdoor work settings, etc.)