Hand washing or hand hygiene are all the same. To wash your hands the, first and foremost prerequisite is a good quality soap or hand wash. And why would you require a good quality hand wash?
The answer is a very simple one. It is to get rid of viruses, bacteria, and microorganisms. Sometimes we also use hand wash to get rid of unwanted grease and dirt sticking to our hands.
What is the Primary Function of Hand Wash Today?
But today, with the pandemic situation, the primary function of hand wash is different. We no longer consider this a luxury item. It is a necessity. The covid disease has wreaked tremendous havoc for humanity in total. It may be that the condition will never change, or the killer disease is here to stay with us like any other disease.
So in this situation, the World Health Organization recommends that we wash our hands at regular intervals. They have even suggested hand washing steps. Although there are many reasons why they are advising us to wash our hands with hand wash, today the principal reason is covid.
When Should We Use Hand Wash?
We all know that we must use hand wash regularly, but we also must know the situations where we must use it. For your safety, we will enumerate the times when we should use it.
- Before and after tending to the sick
- Before and after cooking food
- Before we eat our food
- After using the washroom
- After touching garbage, animals, animal feed & waste, etc
- Today, one of the principal reasons is after coughing, sneezing, or blowing the nose. This reason has gained prominence and has given rise to the use of frequent usage of hand wash.
- After you return from work, travel, supermarkets or hospitals
Steps We Should Follow While Washing Hands
If you follow the handwashing steps accordingly, then there is no reason why you should fall sick. Again here, we would like to mention the steps that one must follow to maintain proper hygiene. They are:
- Put your hand under running water, which, ideally, if warm, is more beneficial as it helps to destroy germs. And the water should not be standing as it gives rise to the growth of bacteria and contamination.
- Foaming the hands sufficiently with a good quality hand wash. A branded hand wash has the capability of destroying pathogens. The hands must be covered in the hand wash, both from the front and back, with the middle of the fingers getting equal attention.
- This lather should be used to scrub your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds or sometimes even longer to get rid of the pathogens.
- After the scrubbing is over, it should be again be washed thoroughly under running water.
- The last step is to pat dry the hands with a clean and dry towel or naturally dry it to prevent recontamination.
Conclusion
We can conclude by saying the benefits of handwashing are numerous. It outweighs the adversities related to frequent hand washing. But in today’s global scenario, it is safer and better to wash your hands frequently and have numerous skin diseases than lying on a hospital bed on ventilation fighting for dear life.
