When And How to Wash Your Hands

hand washHandwashing is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family from getting sick. Handwashing is not hard, it is actually quite easy, but many people just do not do it correctly or often enough. Learn when and how to wash your hands to stay healthy.

10 Best Times To Wash Your Hands:

Washing your hands is always important. You can help yourself and your loved ones stay healthy by washing your own hands often. There are key times when it is really important to make sure that you wash your hands to reduce the spread of germs.

  1. Before, during and after preparing food
  2. Before eating food
  3. After using the toilet
  4. After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
  5. Before and after caring for someone who is ill
  6. After touching an animal
  7. After handling pet food or pet treats
  8. After touching garbage
  9. After treating a cut or wound
  10. As soon as you return home, especially if you have been in a public place

5 Steps to Wash Your Hands the Correct Way:

Washing your hands is pretty easy, but you have to do it correctly. It is one of the most efficient ways to prevent the spread of germs. Clean hands can stop germs from transferring from one person to another. Plus, it helps to keep your home, workplace, and all other locations in your community cleaner.

  1. Wet your hands with clean, running water and apply soap
  2. Lather soap in your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the back, front, between your fingers, and under your nails.
  3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. (If you need a timer, sing the “Happy Birthday” song two times).
  4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
  5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

No Soap & Water Available – Use Hand Sanitizer

The best way to get rid of germs is to use soap and water. However, if soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. To find out how much alcohol the sanitizer has in it, look at the product label. Sanitizers are very popular, but they do not get rid of all types of germs. Hand sanitizers may not be as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy. They also might not remove harmful chemicals from the hands like cleaning products, pesticides and heavy metals

How to use hand sanitzer:

  1. Apply the gel product to the palm of one hand (read the label to help determine the proper quantity)
  2. Rub your hands together
  3. Rub the gel over all surfaces of you hands and fingers until you hands are dry (about 20 seconds)

LA Health Solutions

The LA Health Solutions team is maintaining the safest environment possible at all of our clinics. As healthcare providers, we are ensuring that we follow the latest guidelines and practices for protecting our patients and staff. The health of our patients is extremely important to us, and we will continue to provide the best care and treatment to all of our patients. If you have questions or would like to make an appointment, please give us a call today at 844-496-LAHS (5247) or click HERE to schedule an appointment.