{"id":18186,"date":"2020-03-07T00:21:52","date_gmt":"2020-03-07T00:21:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/?p=18186"},"modified":"2021-09-27T04:03:24","modified_gmt":"2021-09-27T04:03:24","slug":"how-to-wash-your-hands-properly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/how-to-wash-your-hands-properly\/","title":{"rendered":"It’s Time to Learn How to Wash Your Hands Properly"},"content":{"rendered":"At the risk of sounding like a kindergarten teacher, here goes nothing: Today, we’re learning how to wash your hands properly<\/em>.\n\nFor something we all (hopefully) do many times a day, every day of our lives, it’s pretty surprising that most of us don’t get hand washing quite right. In fact, a 2013 study<\/a> found that only five percent<\/em> of people wash their hands correctly. Yikes!\n\nSo, without further ado, here’s a comprehensive guide to hand washing, including the how, the when, and other best practices.\n

How to Wash Your Hands Properly<\/h2>\n1. Turn on the faucet and get your hands wet. (The water temperature doesn’t necessarily matter<\/a>, as research indicates that you’d need to use scalding hot water to kill off pathogens via heat. At any rate, warm-to-hot is typically preferred in terms of comfort.)\n\n2. Turn off the tap to conserve water, then dispense soap and rub your hands together for at least 20 seconds. Take care to wash all parts of your hands, including between fingers and under nails.\n\n3. Rinse hands fully of all soap.\n\n4. Dry hands with a paper towel, clean towel, or an air dryer. If you’re in a public restroom, use a paper towel to pull the door handle before tossing it out and exiting. If you’re using a reusable towel, clean and replace them regularly, and don’t use them for other cleaning purposes<\/a>.\n

When is it Necessary to Wash Your Hands?<\/h2>\nAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> (CDC), you should always wash your hands:\n