Handwashing, when done correctly, is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

Follow these four simple steps to keep hands clean :

1. Wet your hands with warm running water.
2. Add soap, and rub your hands together, making a soapy lather. Do this away from the running water for at least 15 seconds, and do not wash the lather away. Wash the front and back of your hands, as well as between your fingers and under your nails.
3. Rinse your hands well under warm running water. Let the water run back into the sink, not down your elbows. Turn off the water with a paper towel and place it in the garbage.
4. Dry hands thoroughly with a clean towel.
5. Wash your hands as described above at least 5 times a day.

There is more to handwashing than you think. By rubbing your hands vigorously with soapy water, you pull the dirt and the oily soils free from your skin. The soap lather suspends both the dirt and germs trapped inside then gets quickly washed away.

Here are some common mistakes to avoid when handwashing :

• DON'T use a single damp cloth to wash a group of children's hands.
• DON'T use a standing basin of water to rinse hands.
• DON'T use a common hand towel. Always use disposable towels in daycare or food preparation settings.
• DON'T use sponges or non-disposable cleaning cloths unless you launder them using detergent on a regular basis. Remember that germs thrive on moist surfaces.

Supervision is an essential element in forming good handwashing habits in children.

Children learn by example. Let them observe good handwashing techniques from their adult caregivers.

September 2005

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