Hand washing; Hand-washing; Washing your hands; Handwashing - COVID-19; Washing your hands - COVID-19
Washing your hands often during the day is an important way to help reduce the spread of germs and prevent illness. Learn when you should wash your hands and how to wash them properly.
WHY YOU SHOULD WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN
Nearly everything we touch is covered with germs. This includes bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites that can make us sick. You don't have to see dirt on an object for it to spread germs. If you touch something with germs on it, and then touch your own body the germs can spread to you. If you have germs on your hands and touch something or shake someone's hand, you can pass the germs on to the next person. Touching foods or drinks with unwashed hands can spread germs to the person who consumes them.
Washing your hands often during the day can help prevent the spread of a number of different illnesses. Here are a few examples:
WHEN TO WASH YOUR HANDS
You can protect yourself and others from illness by washing your hands often. You should wash your hands:
HOW TO WASH YOUR HANDS
There is a proper way to wash your hands that works best to get them fully clean. For cleaning your hands, all you need is soap and running water. Soap lifts dirt and germs from your skin, which is then washed away by the water.
Soap and water work the best, but if you don't have access to them, you can use hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer works nearly as well as soap and water to kill germs.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. About handwashing. www.cdc.gov/clean-hands/about/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html. Updated February 16, 2024. Accessed June 19, 2024.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Hand sanitizer facts. www.cdc.gov/clean-hands/data-research/facts-stats/hand-sanitizer-facts.html?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/show-me-the-science-hand-sanitizer.html. Updated April 17, 2024. Accessed June 19, 2024.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Handwashing facts. www.cdc.gov/clean-hands/data-research/facts-stats/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/why-handwashing.html. Updated April 17, 2024. Accessed June 19, 2024.
BACK TO TOPReview Date: 10/25/2022
Reviewed By: Frank D. Brodkey, MD, FCCM, Associate Professor, Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Health Content Provider
06/01/2025
|
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, for Health Content Provider (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics. This site complied with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information from 1995 to 2022, after which HON (Health On the Net, a not-for-profit organization that promoted transparent and reliable health information online) was discontinued. |
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- 2024 A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.