Handwashing Procedures

4.8   HANDWASHING PROCEDURES

Washing hands with soap and water

The most effective method of hand hygiene is using soap and water.  Washing your hands with soap and running water loosens, dilutes and flushes off dirt and germs.  Soap alone cannot remove dirt or kill germs- it is the combination of running water, rubbing your hands and the detergent in the soap that helps loosen the dirt, remove the germs and rinse them off your skin.

The process of thoroughly washing, rinsing and drying your hands should take around 30 seconds.

There are five steps to washing hands:

(1)       Wet hands with running water (preferably warm water, for comfort)

(2)       Apply soap to hands

(3)       Lather soap and rub hands thoroughly, including the wrists, the palms, between the fingers, around the thumbs and under the nails.  (Rub hands together for at least 15 seconds)

(4)       Rinse your hands thoroughly under running water to remove all soap.

(5)       Pat your hands dry with a disposable paper towel or dry under hand drier until completely dried

Children are encouraged to wash, rinse and dry their hands in this way.  Children need to be closely supervised and observed so they develop hand washing as a good habit and are encouraged to do it properly.

Source: - ‘Staying Healthy’ – 5^th Edition 2012- NHMRC

Cleaning hands with antibacterial hand gel / alcohol-based hand rubs

It is important to remember that soap and water are the best option when your hands are visibly dirty.  Antibacterial hand gels (or alcohol-based hand rubs or sanitizers) reduce the number of germs on your hands, however they do not remove dirt from your hands.  Hand gels/rubs are a fast and effective way to remove germs and are useful when soap and water are not always available.

There are three steps to using alcohol-based hand rub:

(1)       Apply 1 to 2 pumps to palms of dry hands

(2)       Rub hands together, making sure you cover in between fingers, around thumbs and under nails

(3)       Rub until hands are dry

Source: -  ‘Staying Healthy’ – 5^th Edition 2012- NHMRC

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