Hand-washing: Stop Germs Fast with Easy Steps

Washing your hands is the single easiest way to stop germs. Studies show regular hand-washing cuts diarrheal disease by about 30% and respiratory infections by roughly 20%. Yet most people skip key steps. This short guide gives clear, useful actions you can use today.

When to wash: before eating or handling food, after using the toilet, after coughing or sneezing, after touching public surfaces, after caring for someone who is sick, and after handling pets or trash. If your hands look dirty or feel greasy, always use soap and water rather than sanitizer.

How to wash your hands properly

Wet your hands with clean running water, turn off the tap, apply soap, and rub your hands together. Scrub all surfaces: palms, backs of hands, between fingers, under nails and thumbs. Keep scrubbing for at least 20 seconds — humming "Happy Birthday" twice works as a simple timer. Rinse well under running water and dry with a clean towel or air dryer.

Use a paper towel or your elbow to turn off the faucet and open the bathroom door when you leave. That avoids recontaminating your clean hands. If you need a hand brush for stubborn dirt under nails, use it gently and clean it regularly.

Hand sanitizer and smart habits

When soap and water aren't available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Apply enough product to cover all surfaces and rub until your hands feel dry. Sanitizer works well against many germs, but it won't clean visible dirt or heavy grease.

Common mistakes to avoid: washing too briefly, missing the backs of hands and nails, not drying hands completely, and relying solely on sanitizer in dirty situations. Cracked, dry skin can trap bacteria, so use an unscented moisturizer after washing if your skin feels raw. Replace bar soap often if multiple people use the same bar.

For parents: make hand-washing a game. Use short songs, stickers, or a colorful timer. Keep a small travel sanitizer for outings, and model good habits — kids copy what adults do.

At work or in public, wipe shared surfaces like keyboards and phones regularly. If you or someone in your household is sick, wash hands more often and use separate towels. Small habits add up: clean hands protect you, your family, and the people around you.

Use any comfortable water temperature — hot water won't kill more germs and only dries skin. Take rings off if you can or clean around them; germs hide under jewelry and long nails. Healthcare workers should follow facility protocols: routine hand washing for 20 seconds and hand antisepsis or surgical scrub when required.

On the go, carry a pocket-sized sanitizer and single-use tissues to open doors or touch elevator buttons. Gloves are useful for dirty jobs, but they don't replace washing — change gloves and wash hands after use. Pick a gentle, fragrance-free moisturizer with glycerin or petrolatum to repair skin and keep hand-washing comfortable.

Do this often and stay healthier longer.