As adults, we know the importance of hand washing. But often, the standards of our fellow family members can slip. And if certain people have become a little slap-dash about their hygiene, it can affect the health of the whole family.
Why hand washing is important
It’s important to wash hands to stop the spread of harmful bacteria that can cause illness, including E. coli, salmonella and flu viruses. If you have young children in the household, it’s also important to help stop the spread of parasites they can easily pick up at nursery or school such as tapeworm.
When you’re living under one roof, it’s common for the whole family to become ill at the same time – but this could be prevented with proper hand washing.
When to wash hands
The most important times to wash hands (for both children and adults) are:
- After a visit to the toilet
- Before preparing food
- After handling raw meat
- Before eating food – including both meals and snacks.
Wash them right
You might think that you already know how to wash your hands. In studies, scientists have used UV lights to discover how many bacteria are left behind after washing. They found that the quick rinse many adults and children give their hands just isn’t effective in removing germs. Studies show that the average person takes just six seconds to wash their hands. However, it is recommended that we should be washing for at least 15-30 seconds to remove bacteria. And simply swishing your palms under the water isn’t the best technique. You should wash the palms of the hands, the backs of the hands, in between the fingers, thumbs and wrists.
Why drying is important too
After washing your hands, don’t just give them a shake to get the moisture off; instead you should always use a clean towel. The rubbing action will help remove any bacteria that are left behind. In addition, germs transfer more easily onto wet hands so making sure they are dry will help protect you.
Encouraging your family to wash
Adults and older children shouldn’t need too much encouragement to wash their hands properly. Simply educating them about the risks of not washing should be enough to convince them to employ good hygiene habits.
Younger children, however, should be supervised while learning to wash their hands correctly.
The best way to teach your kids good hygiene habits is to lead by example. So always follow the rules when washing your own hands. And, hopefully, you should see an improvement in your family’s health, with fewer illnesses.