Hand Hygiene for All

October 15 is Global Handwashing Day, a global advocacy day dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding about the importance of handwashing with soap as an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives.

Hand hygiene impacts our health and COVID-19. Here are some handwashing facts:

  • Handwashing can reduce diarrheal diseases by 30% to 48%.
  • Handwashing can reduce acute respiratory infections by 20%.
  • Handwashing plays an important role in reducing the transmission of outbreak-related pathogens such as cholera, Ebola, shigellosis, SARS, and hepatitis E.
  • Hand hygiene is protective against healthcare-associated infections and reduces the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
  • Hand hygiene may contribute to the reduction of Neglected Tropical Diseases.
  • Handwashing with soap can help reduce the transmission of a range of diseases: Handwashing is also key in the fight against COVID-19.
  • Handwashing with soap destroys the outer membrane of the virus and thereby inactivates it. One study found that regular handwashing with soap can reduce the likelihood of COVID-19 infection by 36%.

Frequent Questions About Hand Hygiene

Do I really need to wash my hands for 20 seconds?

Scientific studies show that you need to scrub for 20 seconds to remove harmful germs and chemicals from your hands. If you wash for a shorter time, you will not remove as many germs. Make sure to scrub all areas of your hands, including your palms, backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your fingernails.

How does handwashing with soap and water remove germs and chemicals?

Soap and water worked into a lather, trap, and remove germs and chemicals from hands. Wetting your hands with clean water before applying soap helps you get a better lather than applying soap to dry hands. A good lather forms pockets called micelles that trap and remove germs, harmful chemicals, and dirt from your hands.

Lathering with soap and scrubbing your hands for 20 seconds is important to this process because these actions physically destroy germs and remove germs and chemicals from your skin. When you rinse your hands, you wash the germs and chemicals down the drain.

Should I use a paper towel to turn off the tap after washing my hands?

It is recommended to turn off the tap after wetting your hands to reduce water use. Then, turn it on again after you have washed them for 20 seconds, to rinse off the soap. If you are concerned about getting germs on your hands after you wash them, you can use a paper towel, your elbow, or another hands-free way to turn off the faucet.

Is bar soap better than liquid soap?

Both bar and liquid soap work well to remove germs. Use plain soap in either bar or liquid form to wash your hands.

What if I have water but no soap to wash my hands?

If you don’t have soap and water, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. If you do not have hand sanitizer or soap, but do have water, rub your hands together under the water and dry them with a clean towel or air dry. Rubbing your hands underwater will rinse some germs from your hands, even though it is not as effective as washing with soap.

Is it better to use warm water or cold water?

Use your preferred water temperature – cold or warm – to wash your hands. Warm and cold water remove the same number of germs from your hands. The water helps create a soap lather that removes germs from your skin when you wash your hands. Water itself does not usually kill germs; to kill germs, water would need to be hot enough to scald your hands.

What if the water is dirty or contaminated?

Your hands can get germs on them if you place them in water that looks dirty, is contaminated, or has germs in it from previous use, such as a basin with water used for bathing. Use clean, running water to wash your hands. If you do not have access to clean, running water, use a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol to get rid of germs.

If you do not have clean, running water or hand sanitizer, you can still remove germs from your hands by washing with clear water. You can also make water safe to use by boiling, adding the proper amount of disinfectant such as a mild bleach solution, or filtering it. Use the cleanest water possible to wash your hands.

Should I dry my hands using a paper towel or an air dryer?

There is currently not enough scientific evidence to determine if using a clean towel or an air hand dryer to dry your hands is more effective at reducing germs on your hands. Both are effective ways to dry your hands. Germs spread more easily when your hands are wet, so make sure to dry your hands completely, whatever method you use.

Should I reuse a towel to dry my hands at home?

Reusable towels are a practical option at home. They should be changed when visibly dirty.

Should I wash my hands after using the bathroom at home?

You should always wash your hands after you use the toilet, whether it is in your home or somewhere else. Make a habit of washing your hands after you use the toilet every time to reduce your chance of getting sick and spreading germs.

What are the key times to wash hands?

You can help yourself and your loved ones stay healthy by washing your hands often, especially during key times when you are likely to be exposed to, and spread germs.

  • Before, during, and after preparing food
  • Before eating
  • Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhoea
  • Before and after treating a cut or wound
  • After using the toilet
  • After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
  • After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
  • After handling pet food or pet treats
  • After touching garbage
  • If your hands are visibly dirty or greasy
  • After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing, you should immediately clean your hands by either washing them with soap and water or using hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

Which is better, hand sanitizer, or handwashing?

Soap and water remove certain germs that hand sanitizers don’t kill, including germs that cause diarrhoea such as norovirus, Cryptosporidium, and Clostridioides difficile. Soap and water also remove harmful chemicals like pesticides and heavy metals. Washing hands with soap and water are the best way to remove all types of germs and chemicals. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

How do hand sanitizers work differently than handwashing?

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers work by killing germs on your hands while washing your hands with soap and water removes germs from your hands. Handwashing will remove all types of germs from your hands, but hand sanitizers are not able to kill all types of germs or remove harmful chemicals like pesticides and heavy metals.

Do wipes remove germs?

Hand sanitizing wipes with at least 60% alcohol kill germs on your hands. Baby wipes are not designed to remove germs from your hands. They may make your hands look clean, but baby wipes and similar products that do not have at least 60% alcohol do not reliably remove germs from your hands. Disinfecting wipes are designed to kill germs on surfaces. Do not use disinfecting wipes to clean your skin because they may cause irritation. Always read and follow the directions on the label to use these products safely.

What if I have a hand sanitizer that has no alcohol?

Hand sanitizers without at least 60% of alcohol do not consistently kill germs.

Handwashing with soap and water is the best way to get rid of germs in most situations!

Sources:
https://globalhandwashing.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/GHD-2020-Fact-Sheet-English.pdf
https://globalhandwashing.org/global-handwashing-day/
https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/faqs.html