Handwashing: The Key to Living a Healthy Life

Remember your childhood days when a voice to wash hands followed you whenever you came home from outside, got ready for dinner, and even planned to have snacks. Our parents, grandparents, teachers, and everybody else insisted on handwashing to prevent us from getting sick. Not cleaning hands properly could be an invitation to many diseases. When we touch contaminated surfaces and objects, germs can enter our bodies through the mouth, nose, and ears. To avoid this, we should wash our hands often. 

Here are the three main reasons to pay attention to handwashing:

  • Not many know that handwashing education can lower the number of children who get sick in school. It can keep children healthy and prevent school absenteeism.
  • Many get a flu vaccination every year to protect themselves from the flu. In addition to this, we should also make frequent hand washing a habit to stay healthy.
  • For those who are into the business of running a restaurant or in the hotel industry, it is needless to say handwashing is vital to ensure a high level of hygiene. 

Things you might not know about handwashing

Let’s look at some interesting factors related to handwashing:

  • Only 20 percent of people wash their hands after using the washroom
  • By following hand hygiene protocols, you can avoid up to 50 percent of hospital-acquired infections
  • An office worker comes in contact with 10 million bacteria daily through his hand
  • A contaminated hand can transfer the virus to ten objects or five surfaces
  • Since a bacteria can stay alive for up to three hours, hand washing is vital to get rid of them
  • Washing hands frequently can reduce respiratory illness by 15-20 percent
  • Damp hands can spread 1000 times more bacteria than clean and dry hands
  • The percentage of diarrhea contamination can be reduced from 25-40 percent through hand washing
  • People with weak immunity can control Diarrhoea based gastrointestinal illness by 55 percent
  • Washing hands can prevent gastrointestinal illness that is related to school absenteeism from 25-55 percent

How to wash hands the right way?

It’s strange but true that many individuals do not know the right way to wash their hands. It is advised to wash hands for at least 20 seconds to ensure they are germ-free. So, here’s a step-by-step guide to handwashing:

Step 1: 

Wet your hands with water that has a temperature of 35ºC- 45ºC.

Step 2:

Apply soap and rub hands and fingers clockwise and anticlockwise.

Step 3:

Wash the back of the hands. Use your palm to clean the back of the hand.

Step 4:

Interlock the hands and rub hands and fingers. 

Step 5:

Enclose the right thumb in the left fist and clean it; repeat with the other hand.

Should you choose a soap to wash your hands?

Studies in the closed group have suggested that washing hands with soap is more effective than using water. A group of 20 volunteers contaminated their hands by touching surfaces and doorknobs in public spaces. They were then categorised into three groups, while one was asked not to wash hands, the others were asked to wash hands with: Water and Non-antibacterial soap

  • 44 percent of samples that didn’t wash hands had bacteria of potential fecal origin
  • 23 percent samples who washed hands with plain water had the bacteria
  • Only 8 percent samples who washed hands with non-antibacterial soap had the bacteria

The study proved that handwashing with non-antibacterial soap is more effective in removing bacteria than using plain water.

Basic hygiene to follow

It is a must for individuals to follow basic hygiene practices to stay safe and healthy. Washing hands with Dettol handwash liquid or other good quality antibacterial soap is a must to keep germs away. Those who are exposed to bacteria more often than others should wear gloves. For example, if you work in a healthcare facility or have a job that requires you to take care of the sanitation process in buildings, wearing hotpack vinyl gloves can provide the necessary amount of protection. However, it is still important that you wash your hands thoroughly frequently.

Parting Thoughts

Our health and safety are in our hands. Handwash might look like a small thing, but it can significantly impact your overall fitness. Moreover, if you are healthy, your immune system will be healthy and protect you from severe diseases.