Many people – especially children – can be careless about washing their hands, which can lead to the spread of infection. Washing your hands is not only quick and cost-effective, but the best way to protect yourself and others from spreading germs.
You should always wash your hands:
So what’s the best way to wash your hands?
Good old soap and water: work up a lather and scrub well, cleaning the backs of the hands, between the fingers and under the nails. Doing this should take about 30 seconds; afterwards rinse and dry on a clean towel or under an air dryer.
If soap and water aren’t available, try an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol - but note that these products don’t eliminate all types of germs and aren’t effective when hands are visibly dirty. These alcohol-based options are fine in a pinch, but for regular use look for some of the new herbal, non-alcohol based sanitizers.
Don’t over-do the antibacterial soaps and gels - they may be counterproductive by accelerating the development of resistance to antibiotics.
