Hand hygiene: A guide to clean hands

Cleaning your hands (also called hand hygiene) is one of the best ways to stop germs from spreading. 

Your hands may look clean, but they can still have germs that cause infections. You can pick up germs from almost anywhere, including, phones, doorknobs, and railings.

If you forget to clean your hands or don’t clean them well, you can spread germs to others without even knowing it. These germs can also make you sick if you touch your eyes, mouth, nose, or a cut on your body.

It’s important to encourage your family members, visitors, and healthcare team to clean their hands whenever they visit you or help with your care. 

When do I need to clean my hands?

Always clean your hands:

·      before you prepare and eat food

·      before you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth

·      after you use the bathroom, blow your nose, or cough or sneeze on your hands

·      before you have contact with patients or residents of a healthcare facility and before you go into their room

·      after you have any contact with patients or residents and after leaving their room, unit, and the healthcare facility

Should I use hand sanitizer or soap and water?

You can use hand sanitizer (an alcohol-based hand rub) or soap and water to clean your hands.

Hand sanitizer is best to use when:

·      your hands don’t look or feel dirty

·      you go into or leave a patient or resident room, unit, and healthcare facility

To clean your hands with hand sanitizer:

1.     Roll up long sleeves and push up your watch, bracelet, and other items on your wrist.

2.     Put a palm-sized amount of hand sanitizer on your hands.

3.     Rub the sanitizer all over your hands, wrists, fingers, fingertips, and thumbs.

4.     Rub until your hands are completely dry.

Soap and water is best to use:

·      when your hands look or feel dirty

·      before you eat or prepare food

·      after you use the bathroom

To clean your hands with soap and water:

1.     Roll up long sleeves and push up your watch, bracelet, and other items on your wrist.

2.     Wet your hands with warm water.

3.     Put enough soap on your hands to cover them.

4.     Rub the soap all over your hands, wrists, fingers, fingertips, and thumbs.

5.     Wash and scrub your hands for 15 to 30 seconds.

6.     Rinse your hands under warm running water.

7.     Pat your hands dry with a paper towel.

8.     Turn the tap off with the paper towel.