Hand hygiene is caring for the hands so that germs and other pathogens can’t stay on the hands. The primary way to achieve hand hygiene is through hand washing.
Thorough handwashing with soap or hand wash and water ensures the quick and immediate removal of dirt, bacteria, and viruses from the hands, thereby effectively reducing the spread of infection in communities.
Do you want to know more about hand hygiene? These are the Frequently Asked Questions about Hand hygiene and the answers.
1. When is Hand Hygiene necessary?
Hand hygiene simplified to hand washing is necessary for the following situations.
- Before, during, and after your meal preparation.
- Before and after eating your meal.
- Before and after a wound or cut treatment.
- If you pack your garbage or dirt together, you have oily hands or dirty hands. It should go without mentioning that you need thorough handwashing.
2. How long should I wash my hands?
According to scientific research, to properly remove germs from your hands, you will have to thoroughly wash them for 20 seconds under running water and with soap.
You must wash all the areas of your hands, including your fingernails, in between your fingers and your palms.
3. What type of soap is better to wash my hands- Plain or Antibacterial?
Clean your hands with plain soap and water. Besides, it is not proven that antibacterial soap is better than plain soap for hand washing.
There is, however, risk involved if antibacterial soap is continuously used to clean hands daily. This could eventually result in antibiotic resistance.
To prevent this, just use plain soap and water. It will remove all the germs. To wash your hands with soap, first wet the hands with clean water. Then use the soap to form a lather on the hands. Scrub together for 20 seconds at least, making sure you clean the palm, fingers, and in between the fingers. Wash off the lather with clean running water and pat dry with a clean towel or leave to dry.
4. How do I achieve hand hygiene in the absence of soap and water?
In the absence of soap and water, you can still achieve hand hygiene by cleaning your hands with hand sanitizer. The hand sanitizer should be at least 60% alcohol-based.
While soap and water will remove the germs from your hands, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer will kill the germs. It should be noted that hand sanitizers cannot kill all germs, but soap and water will remove all germs.
5. Would my wipes work as hand sanitizer?
Non-alcohol-based wipes cannot work as hand sanitizers. For hand sanitizers to work for hand hygiene, they should be at least 60% alcohol-based. Baby wipes and face wipes have no alcohol to do this well.
However, there are alcohol-based wipes that can kill germs and effectively clean your hands. These are not disinfecting wipes. The disinfecting wipe is meant for cleaning surfaces and handles and should never be used on the skin to prevent skin irritations.
Hand Hygiene Limits the Spread of Infections
Hand hygiene is a simple yet the easiest way to prevent the spread of infections. It simply involves the use of water, soap, or handwash. In the absence of these, you can simply use your hand sanitizers.
With the answer provided to these Frequently Asked Questions, you can make hand washing a regular and daily habit. Do you need a good supply of hand sanitizers? Loyal Hygiene Solutions provides a high-quality product for your business.