Table of contents
  1. Washing your hands frequently helps prevent infections from spreading:
  2. What is the right way to wash your hands?

Together we can prevent the spread of infections and keep everyone safe! Germs can get into the body through our eyes, nose, and mouth and make us sick. Hand-washing with soap removes germs from hands and helps prevent sickness. 

Washing your hands frequently helps prevent infections from spreading:

  • People often touch their eyes, nose, and mouth without realizing it, introducing germs into their bodies. 
  • Germs from unwashed hands may get into foods and drinks when people prepare or consume them.
  • Germs can grow in some types of foods or drinks and make people sick. Germs from unwashed hands can be transferred to other objects, such as door knobs, tables, or toys, and then transferred to another person’s hands.

Hand-washing helps prevent 1 in 3 diarrhea-related illnesses and prevents 1 in 5 respiratory infections, such as a cold, the flu, or the spread of COVID-19. 

What is the right way to wash your hands?

Remember these 5 steps when washing your hands:

  1. WET your hands with clean running water (warm or cold) and apply soap.
  2. LATHER your hands by rubbing them together with the soap.
  3. SCRUB all surfaces of your hands, including the palms, backs, fingers, between your fingers, and under your nails. Keep scrubbing for at least 20 seconds.
    Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song twice.
  4. RINSE your hands under clean, running water.
  5. DRY your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

Tip: Carry hand sanitizer! If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol, and wash with soap and water as soon as you can.

These helpful tips are provided by the CDC and FMX. Print and post them prominently to help keep your employees and building occupants safe.

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