Hand Washing: All You Need to Know

Hand Washing is one of the most effective ways to protect your body from sicknesses. The act of handwashing can even prevent the spread of these pathogens from person to person. Some ways of transmission include:

·      Touching your face, eyes, nose, and your mouth

·      Cooking and eating food without washing hands

·      Touching a surface that’s contaminated by pathogens

(This is not professional medical advice. Always approach your physician before attempting self medication.)

WHEN ARE GOOD TIMES TO WASH YOUR HANDS?

A good rule of thumb is that whenever you are about to use your hands for something, it’s a good idea to wash up before and after. An example would be when you are preparing your food, as well as when you are eating it. Washing before and after handling the food is a good call in preventing the spread of illnesses, as well as certain bacteria such as the strain of Salmonella

Some other key times to wash your hands would be whenever you use the washroom, interact with your pets, and when you throw away the day’s garbage.

ARE THERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF HAND WASH?

A good first choice would be the plain bar soap that we are all accustomed to using. This is useful for the non-essential settings, places like your own home. It is one of the easiest cleaning agents to avail of and is oftentimes less expensive than the more specialized ones. Next are antibacterial soaps that do not differ much from regular bar soaps, being able to kill the same set of bacteria like regular soaps.

Now, there is also liquid hand wash, which is easier to use and often has a moisturizing ingredient to help your hands not dry out from frequent cleaning. It is said to be preferable to bar soaps as bacteria can grown on the bar itself. Liquid soap is also used in public areas as it can be shared across a group of people, unlike if you use bar soaps. There are different brands that offer liquid soaps, such as this Octenisan wash lotion that you can avail of.

ARE ANTIMICROBIAL SOAPS BETTER TO USE?

Certain antimicrobial soaps might be a bit more effective when compared to regular bar soaps. However, it can sometimes just be minimal. Antimicrobial soaps are much more suited to health care uses, especially if the area itself needs to be sanitized and sterile at all times. An example of this antimicrobial soap is the Octenisan antimicrobial wash lotion, being a great choice for these sorts of uses.

HOW DO I MAKE USE OF HAND WASH?

Washing your hands is a simple affair that can go a long way in preventing diseases from spreading and keeping yourself healthy. To ensure that you have washed properly, always remember these guidelines:

1.    Moisten your hands with clean running water, either warm or cold will do. Make sure to conserve water and use only what you need.

2.    Apply the soap and lather your hands with it. Rub the soap on the back of your hands, between the fingers, and underneath the nails.

3.    Scrub your hands together for a minimum of 20 seconds. If need be, you can hum a song that lasts for 20 seconds to help you keep time.

4.    Rinse your hands under some clean water.

5.    Dry up your hands using either a towel or an air dryer. However, it is preferable to use a tower for this.

If you don’t have soap nearby, you could also make use of a hand sanitiser in its stead. Make sure that it has at the very least 60% alcohol as anything less is just ineffective.

Also, certain lower end hand wash products carry harmful chemicals while also not being bio d. Ensure that you are buying the right product by reading brand reviews.

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