Are you washing your hands the right way?

Hand washing is one of the lessons we learned from our family at our young age. We wash our hands when we are preparing food, before we eat and after we use the bathroom- but are we doing it right? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that teaching the right hand-washing technique can decrease the number of people who get diarrhea by 31 percent and respiratory illness by up to 21 percent. Educating yourself and those around you on effective hygiene practices can make a huge difference in staying healthy.

When you should wash your hands?

• Before, during, and after preparing food.

• Before eating food.

• Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea.

• 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 blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

• After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste.

• After handling pet food or pet treats.

• After touching garbage.

Why we need to know proper hand washing?

Did you know that there are between 2 to 10 million bacteria on your fingertips and elbows? And nearly 80 percent of illness-causing germs are spread by your hands. A proper hand washing technique is really essential to protect yourself and your loved ones. Follow the five steps for effective hand washing:

1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.

2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.

3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Recite ABCs twice.

4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.

5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, you should also clean hands:

• After you have been in a public place and touched an item or surface that may be frequently touched by other people, such as door handles, tables, gas pumps, shopping carts, or electronic cashier registers/screens, etc.

• Before touching your eyes, nose, or mouth because that’s how germs enter our bodies.

Want extra protection against nasty germs? Keep your home and office sanitized, too. For personalized service from a team of committed cleaning professionals, contact ServiceMaster Philippines. Our experienced teams have the tools, training and techniques to safely and effectively clean your biggest messes so you can focus at work and rest easy at home.