Hand Washing Guide
There is more to hand washing than you think! It is not just running your hands under the water.  By rubbing your hands vigorously with soapy water, you pull the dirt plus the oily soils free from your skin. The soap lather suspends both the dirt and germs trapped inside and are then quickly washed away.

Here a few simple steps to follow for Hand Washing:

• Wet your hands with warm running water.
• Add soap, then rub your hands together away from the running water for at least ten seconds, making a soapy lather.
• Wash the front and back of your hands, as well as between your fingers and under your nails.
• Rinse your hands well under warm running water. Let the water run back into the sink, not down to your elbows. Turn off the sink with a paper towel and dispose.
• Dry hands thoroughly with a clean towel.
• Any type of soap may be used. However, bar soap should be kept in a self draining holder that is cleaned thoroughly before new bars are put out and liquid soap containers (which must be used in day care centers) should be used until empty and cleaned before refilling.
• To prevent chapping use a mild soap with warm water; pat hands dry rather than rub hands dry; and apply lotion liberally and frequently throughout the day.

What to Avoid:

• DON'T use a common hand towel. Always use disposable towels
• DON'T use a standing basin of water to rinse hands.
• DON'T use sponges or non-disposable cleaning cloths unless you launder them on a regular basis, adding chlorine bleach to the wash water.

REMEMBER THAT GERMS SURVIVE ON MOIST SURFACES!

Everyone should wash their hands

• BEFORE preparing food, eating, caring for the sick, babies or the elderly, starting work or putting in contact lenses.
• BETWEEN handling raw foods and touching other food or kitchen utensils.
• AFTER using the bathroom, coughing or sneezing, handling raw foods, touching waste bins, touching your hair or face, handling animals or caring for others that are sick.
• WASH many times throughout the day – as you come in contact with things others have touched liked shopping carts, doorknobs and money.