Wash and Drying Your Hands for Prevention

With flu and cold season just around the corner, it’s a good reminder to go over the basics of hand washing. Interestingly, there is lots of emphasis on how to wash your hands but little on drying. Well, there is that debate about whether using a paper towel or air dryer is better for the environment. In terms of health, it doesn’t matter so long as your hands are really dry. Environmentalist will tell you to use the air dryer. Paper towel manufacturers will claim that the towel is better. However, it generally takes 30 seconds of an air dryer to equal the drying power of 15 seconds of paper toweling. It’s easy to imagine the more frequent way hand drying takes place.

According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), use soap and clean water to clean your hands. If they are not available, use alcohol based products containing at least 60% alcohol. When washing with soap and water, antibacterial soap is generally not recommended. Wet your hands with water, apply soap, lather well and continue rubbing your hands for 20 seconds (or two rounds of humming “Happy Birthday.”). Rinse well under water. Dry hands on a paper towel or use an air dryer. If possible use your paper towel to turn off the faucet.

If you are using hand sanitizer, make sure it’s at least 60% alcohol based. Use the produce amount recommended on the bottle and place in the palm of your hand. Rub your hands together until all surfaces are covered and until hands are dry.

Wash you hands regularly:
• Before and after: meal preparation; eating; changing diapers; caring for someone who is sick; and treating a cut or wound

• After: using the toilet; cleaning up after someone who has used the toilet; after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing; handling an animal or animal waste; handing garbage

There is another question that I can’t seem to find a good answer for-which is better cloth or paper towel? Environmentally, the answer is cloth. If you are in a health care and/or public setting, paper towels are going to be the top pick. In your home? I’m not turning up a whole lot on this topic. My parents didn’t use paper towels and I seldom use them. I do change my hand towels daily though.