Are you washing your hands more?

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Weedygarden

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I am.

I have hand sanitizer in the car, but I am doing a serious hand washing every time I come home. I wash my hands when I am getting ready to cook, eat, sew, and other times, but I am really working on the hand washing time now. My hand washing time used to be shorter, even though I know better. I can feel it in my hands. They are definitely drier. I have lotion, but I need to get it out and start using it.
I am going to start using paper towels in my bathrooms for hand washing and other sink activity, such as face washing, brushing teeth.

If I was teaching in a classroom, I would do the bread experiment where slices of bread are touched with unwashed hands, hand sanitizer cleaned hands, well washed hands, on a computer or door knob, and one slice of untouched bread. If I had children at home, I would do the same experiment to show them how important hand washing is.
https://www.sciencealert.com/this-s...-a-genius-way-to-get-kids-to-wash-their-hands
https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html
Wash Your Hands Often to Stay Healthy
You can help yourself and your loved ones stay healthy by washing your hands often, especially during these key times when you are likely to get and spread germs:
  • Before, during, and after preparing food
  • Before eating food
  • Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea
  • Before and after treating a cut or wound
  • After using the toilet
  • After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
  • After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
  • After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
  • After handling pet food or pet treats
  • After touching garbage
Follow Five Steps to Wash Your Hands the Right Way
Washing your hands is easy, and it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. Clean hands can stop germs from spreading from one person to another and throughout an entire community—from your home and workplace to childcare facilities and hospitals.

Follow these five steps every time.
  1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
  2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
  3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
  4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
  5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
Why? Read the science behind the recommendations.

Use Hand Sanitizer When You Can’t Use Soap and Water
using hand sanitizer

You can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
Washing hands with soap and water is the best way to get rid of germs in most situations. If soap and water are not readily available, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. You can tell if the sanitizer contains at least 60% alcohol by looking at the product label.

Sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in many situations. However,
  • Sanitizers do not get rid of all types of germs.
  • Hand sanitizers may not be as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy.
  • Hand sanitizers might not remove harmful chemicals from hands like pesticides and heavy metals.
Caution! Swallowing alcohol-based hand sanitizers can cause alcohol poisoning if more than a couple of mouthfuls are swallowed. Keep it out of reach of young children and supervise their use. Learn more here.

How to use hand sanitizer
  • Apply the gel product to the palm of one hand (read the label to learn the correct amount).
  • Rub your hands together.
  • Rub the gel over all the surfaces of your hands and fingers until your hands are dry. This should take around 20 seconds.
 
Nope. But I already have a pretty good hand washing routine. I wash my hands every time I used the restroom and before touching anything in the kitchen. I also wash my hands when I arrive at home from work, church, events, etc. I almost never use hand sanitizer but I do wear nitrile gloves with some regularity. I also don't shake hands. Not because I am rude or afraid of germs, but because I consider it to be a matter of personal security (don't put things in your gun hand and always maintain a reactionary gap). All I say is "Sorry, I don't shake hands. Flu season." or something like that. If you are close enough to me to get a handshake, I will just hug you instead. Otherwise no thanks.
 
My wife and I have been loyal hand-washers for decades before it became
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trendy
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.
Her, as a teacher, facing class after class of 30 shot-nosed kids EVERY DAY. She still washes hers hourly.
Me, as a technician, (yes, I got my hands dirty) I washed my hands about 20+ times every day.
You learn real fast to not touch your face when your hands are covered with grime (unwashed).
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It becomes a hard habit to break.
 
Thanks Weedy, good post.

I have started paying more attention lately. I have always been lax in handwashing when coming home. I grew up farming and have ate many meals in the field or woods with no access to water. I guess habits were formed and are hard to get over. But I also think to some degree a little dirt can build your imunne system. I have rarely got sick in the past and normally get over it quick when I did. This last crud I've had though has me singing a different tune. I was much more frequently than I used to. No good reason not to.
 
A former student of mine is an English language teacher living in Japan. He has lived in a few countries in Asia for a few years. He shared this. I have looked at it a few times, and have to say it is a little odd, but it may resonate with some people. He liked it so it may have spoken to him more than it does me and maybe for you as well.
Handwashing.jpg
 
I can't say my handwashing has changed, but that's because I was already prone to a lot of handwashing.

But hand sanitizer... it's EVERYWHERE here in the hospital, and I use it religiously now.

The thing that's hard for me is trying not to touch my face. I didn't realize how much I did (to scratch an itch, rub my eyes, little stuff), until I started trying not to.
 
Working with younger children, mostly under the age of 10, meant that many interactions with them included me telling them to go blow their nose and then to wash their hands. I have certain former students whose faces come up for me. They probably got really tired of me telling them that. I know one year, I had to buy more soap for the classroom because of the hand washing. I have often wondered if all the hand washing because of it being a request made them more or less likely to wash their hands independently. I have had male friends and relatives tell me about their observations in public restrooms and how few people do. I would be interested if that is going to change during the corona virus outbreak?
 
Thanks Weedy, good post.

I have started paying more attention lately. I have always been lax in handwashing when coming home. I grew up farming and have ate many meals in the field or woods with no access to water. I guess habits were formed and are hard to get over. But I also think to some degree a little dirt can build your imunne system. I have rarely got sick in the past and normally get over it quick when I did. This last crud I've had though has me singing a different tune. I was much more frequently than I used to. No good reason not to.
I've helped serve meals in fields when haying or other harvesting was going on, so I get that. My grandparents never had running water on their ranch. They had a wash stand, which is now at my house, where there was a basin, a milk can for fresh water with a dipper in it and a bucket for waste water. When the men would come in from working outside, they would all do a washing up at that wash stand, and if it was a hot day, that would include washing their head, neck and arms. It helped them cool off as well wash off the dirt from working hogs, cattle, or other chores.
 
I've helped serve meals in fields when haying or other harvesting was going on, so I get that. My grandparents never had running water on their ranch. They had a wash stand, which is now at my house, where there was a basin, a milk can for fresh water with a dipper in it and a bucket for waste water. When the men would come in from working outside, they would all do a washing up at that wash stand, and if it was a hot day, that would include washing their head, neck and arms. It helped them cool off as well wash off the dirt from working hogs, cattle, or other chores.

We used the water hose next to the well house when we'd come in out of the fields for lunch. Washing off hands, head, whatever. And for drinking as well (that water was so cold).
 
I think we have always washed our hands at all the right times and I might be washing them more often at work, maybe, um, nah. Not much more. Spraying lysol more at work, yes.
Have been in the habit of washing my hands when I come home for years. And all the other things.
I find it actually kind of gross that anyone, male or female, doesn't wash their hands after using the restroom. And yes, I sometimes wash my hands before using the restroom.
 
NOPE
I wash my hands before I fool with food and when i go to the bathroom. besides that i am a walking germ collector

little funny about military service and handwashing

Air Force Sergeant was going home on leave and was in uniform. He was standing at the urinal in the airport
In walks a Marine Gunny Sergeant who is in uniform also.
He also stands at the urinal.
Air Force turns to leave, as he reaches the door Gunny says
In the Marines they teach us to wash our hands after we pee
Air Force replies. in the Air Force they teach us not to pee on ourselves
 
Part of a new employee orientation was a handwashing exercise. They sprayed something on everyone's hands and then we washed our hands. They checked with a blacklight and every place that hadn't been washed properly glowed purple. The woman checking would shame people by sending them back to rewash. My hands were clean but my shirt glowed. She pointed that out so people close by could hear. I informed her she was the one spraying stuff and she was to blame for my shirt glowing not me.
It was amazing how many people, especially the nurses, had not washed properly even tho they knew what was going on.
I had a handwashing refresher for my brother because he sometimes doesn't do a good job. He does now.
 
My wife and I have been loyal hand-washers for decades before it became View attachment 36345trendyView attachment 36345.
Her, as a teacher, facing class after class of 30 shot-nosed kids EVERY DAY. She still washes hers hourly.
Me, as a technician, (yes, I got my hands dirty) I washed my hands about 20+ times every day.
You learn real fast to not touch your face when your hands are covered with grime (unwashed).View attachment 36346
It becomes a hard habit to break.


I dotoo I'm a little alergic to our dogs and per them all the time so I wash hands continously.

Sick of singing ‘Happy Birthday’ while washing hands to fight coronavirus? Try these pop hits instead

I am familiar with some of these songs, but I do not have the words memorized.

https://www.latimes.com/entertainme...zaQFqE9c7YW4IkA6KW990Gx-WPfm7rVjw70lt4Wmwdcr8


Good idea music is good.

I think we have always washed our hands at all the right times and I might be washing them more often at work, maybe, um, nah. Not much more. Spraying lysol more at work, yes.
Have been in the habit of washing my hands when I come home for years. And all the other things.
I find it actually kind of gross that anyone, male or female, doesn't wash their hands after using the restroom. And yes, I sometimes wash my hands before using the restroom.

Lets not forget to not shake hands with dr.s who haven't learned about contact contamination :ghostly: And then they have the nerve to get mad if you refuse to shake an offered up germy hand.:rolleyes:

They shake theri heads liek your some kind of moron, rather see em shake their heads than my hands.
I took more biology in Horticulture they they seemed to have med school.
 

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