<\/a>Key Times to Wash Hands<\/h4>\n\n\n\n![\"Know](\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/handwashing\/images\/key-times-to-wash-hands.jpg?_=87654\" "\\"Know")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nYou 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:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Before, during, and after preparing food<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Before and after eating food<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Before and after treating a cut or wound<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- After using the toilet<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- After changing diapers<\/a> or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- After handling pet food or pet treats<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- After touching garbage<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol to clean your hands.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nFollow Five Steps to Wash Your Hands the Right Way<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Washing your hands is easy, and it\u2019s one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. Clean hands can help stop germs from spreading from one person to another and in our communities\u2014including your home, workplace, schools, and childcare facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Follow these five steps every time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Wash](\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/handwashing\/images\/buttons\/wash-hands-english-341542-medium.jpg?_=24428\" "\\"Wash")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n- Wet<\/strong> your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Lather<\/strong> your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Scrub<\/strong> your hands for at least 20 seconds<\/strong>. Need a timer? Hum the \u201cHappy Birthday\u201d song from beginning to end twice.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Rinse<\/strong> your hands well under clean, running water.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Dry<\/strong> your hands using a clean towel or an air dryer.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Why? Read the science behind the recommendations.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nUse Hand Sanitizer When You Can\u2019t Use Soap and Water<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a> that contains at least 60% alcohol. You can tell if the sanitizer contains at least 60% alcohol by looking at the product label.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in many situations. However,<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- Sanitizers do not get rid of all types of germs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Hand sanitizers may not be as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Hand sanitizers might not remove harmful chemicals like pesticides from hands.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Caution!<\/strong> Swallowing alcohol-based hand sanitizer 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/handwashing\/images\/326806-A_Hand-Sanitizer-SignageSticker-Update-final_5x3in-large.jpg?_=75926\" "\\"How")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHow to Use Hand Sanitizer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n- Apply<\/strong> the gel product to the palm of one hand (read the label to learn the correct amount).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Cover <\/strong>all surfaces of hands.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Rub<\/strong> your hands and fingers together until they are dry. This should take around 20 seconds.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
CDC\u2019s Communication Materials<\/h4>\n\n\n\n![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/handwashing\/images\/HandwashingScreenshot.jpg?_=42489\" "\\"HandwashingScreenshot\\"\/")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nCDC has health promotion materials<\/a> to encourage kids and adults to make handwashing part of their everyday lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- Share social media graphics and messages<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Print stickers<\/a> and place clings<\/a> on bathroom mirrors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Promote handwashing on or around Global Handwashing Day<\/a>, celebrated each year on October 15.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Distribute fact sheets<\/a> to share information about hand hygiene for specific audiences.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Order free posters<\/a> and display them in highly visible public areas, such as school bathrooms,
work areas, and public restrooms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nFor more information on handwashing, visit CDC\u2019s\u00a0Handwashing website<\/a>\u00a0or call 1-800-CDC-INFO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nYou 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:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Before, during, and after preparing food<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Before and after eating food<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Before and after treating a cut or wound<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- After using the toilet<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- After changing diapers<\/a> or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- After handling pet food or pet treats<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- After touching garbage<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol to clean your hands.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Follow Five Steps to Wash Your Hands the Right Way<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Washing your hands is easy, and it\u2019s one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. Clean hands can help stop germs from spreading from one person to another and in our communities\u2014including your home, workplace, schools, and childcare facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Follow these five steps every time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n- \n
- Wet<\/strong> your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Lather<\/strong> your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Scrub<\/strong> your hands for at least 20 seconds<\/strong>. Need a timer? Hum the \u201cHappy Birthday\u201d song from beginning to end twice.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Rinse<\/strong> your hands well under clean, running water.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Dry<\/strong> your hands using a clean towel or an air dryer.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Why? Read the science behind the recommendations.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Use Hand Sanitizer When You Can\u2019t Use Soap and Water<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a> that contains at least 60% alcohol. You can tell if the sanitizer contains at least 60% alcohol by looking at the product label.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in many situations. However,<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Sanitizers do not get rid of all types of germs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Hand sanitizers may not be as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Hand sanitizers might not remove harmful chemicals like pesticides from hands.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Caution!<\/strong> Swallowing alcohol-based hand sanitizer 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHow to Use Hand Sanitizer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Apply<\/strong> the gel product to the palm of one hand (read the label to learn the correct amount).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Cover <\/strong>all surfaces of hands.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Rub<\/strong> your hands and fingers together until they are dry. This should take around 20 seconds.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
CDC\u2019s Communication Materials<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nCDC has health promotion materials<\/a> to encourage kids and adults to make handwashing part of their everyday lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Share social media graphics and messages<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Print stickers<\/a> and place clings<\/a> on bathroom mirrors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Promote handwashing on or around Global Handwashing Day<\/a>, celebrated each year on October 15.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Distribute fact sheets<\/a> to share information about hand hygiene for specific audiences.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Order free posters<\/a> and display them in highly visible public areas, such as school bathrooms,
work areas, and public restrooms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nFor more information on handwashing, visit CDC\u2019s\u00a0Handwashing website<\/a>\u00a0or call 1-800-CDC-INFO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Print stickers<\/a> and place clings<\/a> on bathroom mirrors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Cover <\/strong>all surfaces of hands.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Apply<\/strong> the gel product to the palm of one hand (read the label to learn the correct amount).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Lather<\/strong> your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.<\/li>\n\n\n\n