Wash
Your Hands.....
Hand
washing is the #1 means of preventing the spread of infection.
How to wash your hands properly:
- Wet hands with water
- Apply soap (liquid or bar soap is O.K., but liquid is easier
and the new antimicrobial soaps provide added protection in food
preparation and during illness.)
- Using gentle friction, rub hands together for about 15 seconds
- make sure to wash the backs of the hands and in between the
fingers - pay special attention to fingernails.
- Rinse well, letting the water flow down the hands toward
the fingers.
- Dry hands well.
- Turn off water. Remember, you turned the water on with dirty
hands, so a barrier such as a paper towel between your clean
hands and the faucet prevents re-soiling of your clean hands!
This is VERY IMPORTANT in public restrooms.
When should hands be washed?
- Before eating, drinking, handling or preparing food
- After using the restroom, coughing or sneezing - even if
you've used a tissue
- Whenever hands are visibly dirty
- After handling or playing with pets
- After taking out the trash or handling and discarding spoiled
food
- Before and after changing soiled baby diapers.
Practice and teach good hand washing techniques to others,
especially children, so that hand washing becomes a good habit.
You'll notice that colds and stomach upsets are less frequent.
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back to Infection Control Page