If you’ve ever worked in the medical or catering industries, you’ll know how seriously handwashing is taken. Not only can hands carry potentially dangerous faecal matter, they can be the vehicle for life-threatening cross-contamination of food poisoning bacteria.
For some reason, however, due diligence goes out the window as soon as people get back into their own home. But lethal bacteria doesn’t discriminate; whether you’re in your own kitchen or at work, it can strike down anyone unless the proper precautions aren’t taken.
Follow these handwashing tips to ensure that you and your family remain healthy and safe at home.
Wash your hands after changing activity
As a simple rule of thumb, you should wash your hands every time you switch activities. For example, once you’ve finished your daily cleaning jobs, use soap to clean your hands thoroughly. Before you begin to prepare or handle any type of food, make sure you wash your hands thoroughly — preferably with an antibacterial handwash. And wash your hands again just before eating.
There are many occasions when you should think about washing your hands at home, including after handling pets, after using the toilet and after putting rubbish out. Getting into the habit of doing this will reduce the chances of spreading potentially dangerous bacteria around your home — and onto other members of your household. But it’s vital that you wash your hands effectively, otherwise your efforts could be wasted.
How to wash your hands effectively
The first thing to remember is that warm water and antibacterial soap should be used prior to handling food. At other times, normal bar soap will suffice. Also, wash your hands away from food preparation areas. If you don’t have a dedicated handwashing basin, use the sink in y our bathroom.
Start by placing a little soap in the palm of your hands — something the size of a 50p will suffice. Start rubbing your hands palm to palm, working up a lather as you go. Use your right hand to rub the soap into the back of your left hand, and vice versa. While doing this, it’s good practice to cover your wrists in soap too. Any area that might come into contact with food should be washed thoroughly.
Once you’re happy that you’ve covered the palms and backs of your hands, start washing the insides of your fingers by lacing them together. The areas in between fingers are often missed, and they could harbour bacteria unless you rub soap directly into them.
Now it’s time to work on your thumbs, which is also something most people don’t think of addressing at home. Rest your right thumb on the palm of your left hand. Wrap your hand around your thumb, and rigorously massage it with the soap. Once you’re happy it has been thoroughly cleaned, switch to the other thumb and repeat.
Now it’s time to move onto your fingernails. Use a brush to scrub the nails and fingertips thoroughly. You can achieve similar results by rubbing the tips of your fingers into the palm of your other hand. If you do use a brush, however, it’s important to sterilise it after every use. You can do this with a solution of antibacterial soap and water or with boiling water.
Rinse thoroughly
Once you’re finished, it’s important to dry your hands thoroughly, otherwise you could spread bacteria through dirty water. Use a clean towel, or for the best results, air dry your hands. An effective handwashing session should take around 30 seconds, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time. While it’s not essential to follow this stringent procedure every time you wash your hands, you should adhere to it after using the toilet, handling pets and just before preparing food.
It’s important not to be complacent about bacteria in your home. Certain germs can strike anywhere, and they can proven deadly if they make their way onto food.
