We all know that washing our hands after going to the bathroom or before we eat is basic hygiene and good manners, but did you ever stop to wonder why?
In honor of national handwashing week, here are some things to keep in mind next time you are tempted to skip washing your hands.
Washing hands isn’t just for you: By washing your hands, you aren’t just protecting your own health, you are also protecting the health of those around you. Lots of infections can be spread from person to person with contaminated hands. For example, washing your hands can help you from handing influenza off to someone else!
Putting soap on your hands and washing them under running water isn’t enough: Just because you put soap on your hands doesn’t mean that all the bacteria are gone. In order to rid your hands of germs, you need to wet your hands, turn off the water, and then add soap and scrub before rinsing.
Water temperature doesn’t matter: While most of us grew up hearing “hotter the better” when it comes to getting rid of germs and bacteria, it actually doesn’t matter what temperature the water is. In fact, your hands might become irritate and painful if you use water that is too hot, which might cause you to wash your hands less often due to the pain.
Wearing gloves doesn’t mean you don’t need to wash your hands: If you are required to or chose to wear gloves for your job doesn’t mean you’re off the hook for washing your hands. You should still wash your hands before you put on or take off your gloves to keep germs at bay.
Make sure that you are washing your hands the right way, and if you do catch an illness from contaminated hands of friends or relatives this holiday season, remember that we are here for you - whether you have an appointment or walk in to our office.