Weekend Plus Desk :
For most of us washing hands is not something that we need to put a thought too. We all believe that we do it the right way. Well, that is not entirely true. Most of us do not wash our hands the right way, which leaves us susceptible to germs and thus diseases.
Here are the most common hand-washing mistakes we all make:
You don’t wash your hands long enough
Does this remind you of a TV ad where a girl instructs her friend to wash his hands for full one minute? A recent study by Michigan State University found that 95 per cent of people do not wash their hands long enough to effectively kill the germs. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, you should wash your hands for at least 20 seconds to kill germs. The average hand-washing time was noted to be 6 seconds only.
You leave the nooks and crannies
Just rubbing the soap between your palms is not enough. Germs love to hide under your fingernails and the pockets in between the fingers, so do not forget to scrub these areas whenever you wash your hands. Scrub vigorously as friction is the key to eliminate dirt, grease and microbes from the skin.
You don’t dry your hands properly
Even if you wash your hands properly, it’s worthless if you don’t dry them properly. Germs love to breed in moist settings and leaving your hands damp makes it easier for germs to stick to your hands. If you have an option to choose between paper towels and air towels, choose paper towels. Paper towels are superior to driers at getting your hands to dry properly. If you are using the blower, make sure you are spending enough time with your hands under it.
You wash your hands only after using the restroom
Anytime you touch a public surface like the elevator button, doorknob, ATM, or a subway railing, you are at risk of picking up germs and bacteria. Most people wash their hands after using the restroom, but you should wash your hands periodically throughout the day, especially during cold and flu season.
You are using soaps from a refilled dispenser
The liquid soap dispensers in the bathroom seem to be harmless. But a small study showed that soap dispensers refilled from a large liquid soap bottle can lead to a 26-fold increase in bacteria on your hands as compared to the dispensers that have been replaced with the sealed refill. Carry own paper soap when you are travelling or using a public restroom.
You touch other surfaces right after washing your hands
Touching the tap or other damp surfaces right after washing your hands can ruin the entire purpose of washing them. Thus, it’s best to turn off the tap or open the door using a paper towel after you wash your hands.
For most of us washing hands is not something that we need to put a thought too. We all believe that we do it the right way. Well, that is not entirely true. Most of us do not wash our hands the right way, which leaves us susceptible to germs and thus diseases.
Here are the most common hand-washing mistakes we all make:
You don’t wash your hands long enough
Does this remind you of a TV ad where a girl instructs her friend to wash his hands for full one minute? A recent study by Michigan State University found that 95 per cent of people do not wash their hands long enough to effectively kill the germs. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, you should wash your hands for at least 20 seconds to kill germs. The average hand-washing time was noted to be 6 seconds only.
You leave the nooks and crannies
Just rubbing the soap between your palms is not enough. Germs love to hide under your fingernails and the pockets in between the fingers, so do not forget to scrub these areas whenever you wash your hands. Scrub vigorously as friction is the key to eliminate dirt, grease and microbes from the skin.
You don’t dry your hands properly
Even if you wash your hands properly, it’s worthless if you don’t dry them properly. Germs love to breed in moist settings and leaving your hands damp makes it easier for germs to stick to your hands. If you have an option to choose between paper towels and air towels, choose paper towels. Paper towels are superior to driers at getting your hands to dry properly. If you are using the blower, make sure you are spending enough time with your hands under it.
You wash your hands only after using the restroom
Anytime you touch a public surface like the elevator button, doorknob, ATM, or a subway railing, you are at risk of picking up germs and bacteria. Most people wash their hands after using the restroom, but you should wash your hands periodically throughout the day, especially during cold and flu season.
You are using soaps from a refilled dispenser
The liquid soap dispensers in the bathroom seem to be harmless. But a small study showed that soap dispensers refilled from a large liquid soap bottle can lead to a 26-fold increase in bacteria on your hands as compared to the dispensers that have been replaced with the sealed refill. Carry own paper soap when you are travelling or using a public restroom.
You touch other surfaces right after washing your hands
Touching the tap or other damp surfaces right after washing your hands can ruin the entire purpose of washing them. Thus, it’s best to turn off the tap or open the door using a paper towel after you wash your hands.