Our Hands Aren't Always As Clean As We Say They Are

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 21 Oct 2008 - 9:00 PDT

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Take a moment today to look at your hands. Are they clean? What about the hands of the person who just shook hands with you, served your food, swiped your credit card or played ball with your child? While most Iowans will say they wash their hands regularly, the statistics say otherwise. A study by the American Society of Microbiology found that while 97 percent of females and 92 percent of males said they washed their hands after using the restroom, only 75 percent of females and 58 percent of males actually did. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hand washing is the most important thing you can do to keep from getting sick.

A coalition of public and private agencies and companies, including UNICEF and the CDC have declared Wednesday, October 15, 2008 as the first-ever Global Hand Washing Day. "Washing hands with soap is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of disease, and also the cheapest," said Dr. Patricia Quinlisk, Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) medical director. "Hand washing is a cornerstone of keeping the public healthy."

While hand washing seems a simple enough task, many Iowans don't do it often enough or correctly. Proper hand washing requires soap and water (preferably warm). All surfaces of the hands, including palms, back, between the fingers and under the fingernails should be scrubbed for at least 15 seconds. This is about the amount of time it takes to sing the "ABC" song once. Hands should then be rinsed well under running water and dried on a clean cloth or paper towel.

There are key situations in which hands should always be washed, including after using the toilet or changing a diaper and before handling food. Hand washing is especially important when you are caring for someone who is ill or are ill yourself.

For more information on proper hand hygiene, visit here.

Iowa Department of Public Health