You Are Probably Washing Your Hands Wrong: Proper Hand Hygiene 101

The first day of fall brings with it cooler weather, falling leaves, and unfortunately, colds and flu. Health officials say thousands of people die from the flu each year in the United States. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends proper hand-washing to prevent the spread of illness and potentially save lives.

There are four key things you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones, say the experts: avoid people who are sick; get the vaccine early in the flu season; try not to touch your nose, eyes and mouth with your hands; and wash your hands.

“Hand washing is by far the best way to prevent viruses and bacteria — like colds and the flu — from spreading,” said Randy Bergen, clinical lead for Kaiser Permanente Northern California’s flu vaccination program. “Washing with water alone won’t do the job however. You need to wet your hands, apply soap and wash for 15-20 seconds, making sure you rub your hands front and back including your fingernails and wrists. Fifteen to 20 seconds is about the time it takes to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ twice through, which is an easy reminder for us all and a fun way to teach proper hand washing to kids.”

CDC experts recommend washing hands before eating or preparing food, after using the bathroom, caring for someone who is ill, touching pets or trash, changing diapers and when you cough or sneeze. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news from your California neighborhood. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app. Also, be sure to follow your local Patch on Facebook!)

Photo courtesy Pixabay

Patch Editor Paige Austin contributed to this report.