Stories
Handwashing for Health: Proper Techniques to Prevent Diseases
- •Washing your hands properly is essential for good health and prevents the spread of infections.
- •Scrub your hands with soap and running water for at least twenty seconds to destroy germs effectively.
- •Clean every part of your hands including the back, between fingers, under nails, and wrists.
- •Wash hands before eating, after using the toilet, handling garbage, and caring for sick individuals.
- •Use a clean paper towel or dry towel to dry your hands, as germs spread more easily on wet skin.
Key Questions Answered
To wash hands properly, wet them with clean running water, apply soap to create a lather, and scrub thoroughly for at least twenty seconds. Ensure you clean not just the palms, but also the back of the hands, between the fingers, under the nails, and the wrists before rinsing completely and drying with a clean towel.
Keeping your hands properly clean helps prevent about one-third of diarrhea-related illnesses and approximately one-fifth of respiratory-related illnesses. It also stops germs from entering your body when you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth, and prevents passing infections to others even if you are already sick.
Hands should be washed before and after preparing food, immediately after handling raw meat, garbage, or compost, and after touching pets or cleaning their living areas. It is also essential after using the toilet, blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, caring for a sick person, or returning home from public places.
