Over the years studies have proved the fact that Hand washing is a single most effective intervention in reducing the spread of infection. Hand washing protects the adults and kids of all ages and saves lives everywhere, from kitchen to playground, from bathroom to classroom, from hospital to office, from shops to the car. It’s a challenge of educating our kids to wash hands because studies have found people are not regular in hand washing. Studies have shown that around 90% women washed their hands after using public toilets whereas only 75% men did! Similarly, phone surveys in 2005 found that not more than 75% people wash hands after using bathroom at home, changing baby's diapers, petting a cat or dog, after handling food or money. Thus, adults have to be careful with their habits as kids learn from them only.
In this constantly modernizing world everything has become complicated in recent years. Hand washing is no exception, with new products in market along with new issues to consider like how should we wash hands and with what. Here, we are going to discuss a menu of hand washing products like simple soaps, bars versus liquid soaps, antiseptic Hand wash and antibiotics containing hand wash. We will be discussing the optimal techniques and timings in washing hands towards the end.
Simple Soap
Simple soap cleans hands mechanically by detergent action, lifting and washing away dirt , organic material and associated germs. These germs are not sticky on the skin and thus, are washed off. Simple soap doesn't have anti-microbial function. It has been estimated that worldwide institutions if practice hand washing in a better way, it could result in saving more than 1 million lives each year by reducing deaths due to diarrhea and other communicable diseases. For this reason the World Health Organization(WHO) has said that routine hand washing with simple soap and water is “the most important hygiene measure in preventing the spread of infection”.
Bar versus liquid soap
Soaps can be contaminating themselves. They may be germ carrier and transfer germs from one person to another with the germs on the bars or on the liquid dispenser. Simple soaps are not anti- microbial , so germs can live in the soapy goo for a long time, thus transmitting infections. Bar soaps harbour more bugs as compared to the liquid dispensers. Studies have shown that fewer infections have been found in households using liquid soaps as compared to ones using bar soap. Hospitals have abandoned the bar soaps long time back for use of health care professionals.
If your household uses bar soap then bar should be placed on the drain stand rather than in a soap dish to minimize pooling of contaminating soapy water. It is true that liquid dispenser is more sanitary than the bar soap dish but they are not immune to the contamination and should be cleaned.
Refillable dispensers should not be topped off
Both pump and container should be thoroughly washed
Routine washing of pump surface between refills should be done with disposable paper towel.
Antiseptic Hand wash
Simple soaps appear to work just fine according to many studies but they are not anti-microbial. Hand washing substances that kill germs are called as antiseptic. They have got anti-microbial activity. Alcohol compounds are most effective and widely used to kill germs including bacteria, some virus and fungi. They kill germs quicker than other substances. In recent years alcohols have find place in hand rubs, rinses, foams and gels that don't require water.
Alcohol sanitizer contain moisturizing agents, which makes them very well tolerated by the users except the ones having cuts or scars, which leaves a burning sensation for a few seconds after use. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for hospitals hand hygiene recommends alcohol based hand rubs between patients contacts for all health care workers. But despite of above stated facts, alcohol based hand sanitizer have been slow to find commercial consumer success outside hospitals and health care centers.
Triclosan (Antibiotic) products
Triclosan is widely used in household. It is antibiotic in the sense that it act specifically against unique properties of bacteria. The action of Triclosan in cleansing solution depends upon its concentration. The enhanced anti-germ action over simple soaps can range from negligible to 100 fold. A 0.2% Triclosan solution has no advantage over simple soap , whereas 1% solution is better than soap.
No study yet proves that Triclosan containing products actually reduce personal and household infections. The majority household illness are due to the virus. The absence of benefit in reducing viral symptoms likely predicts that overall household health will not be much benefitted by the use of antiseptic products because viral illness are so much more common than due to bacteria.
Timings of hand washing
Now, we have established that Hand washing is necessary and simple soap is sufficient, let us discuss how and when should adults and kids wash hands.
We all touch our eyes,nose, mouth etc from time to time. Germs can enter onto mucous membranes and can infect cells locally and or spread in whole body. Thus, we need to minimize the opportunity for germs transmission from others to ourselves and from our hands to our orifices.
Some important Hand washing moments are :
After using bathroom
After playing with animals or in the area where animals hang out
After playing outside
After blowing nose or coughing into the hands.
After having food
After visiting a hospital of a sick friend
After cleaning home, furniture, car etc.
After using vacuum cleaners
After cooking food
After changing diapers of the babies
After handling money
Before bedtime
Before having food
Before cooking food
Techniques of Hand washing
Time you spend at the sink is most important in deciding how effective is the hand wash. The difference between removal of bacteria during a 10 second wash and a 4 minute wash can be as much as a several thousand fold reduction in germs. Wash creating good lather on hands, on wrist, near nails and between fingers.
Tip for kids: You can make use of musical interlude. Teach your kid to sing Twinkle-twinkle little star or ABCs. These songs take exactly 20 seconds. Tell them that by the time the song is done, its time to dry which is almost as important as washing itself is.
Hand drying
It is a well known fact that moisture is a potent breeding ground for all germs. Wet hands transmit germs much more efficiently than dry hands. Both paper and cloth towels are effective on drying hands and eliminating germs as compared to electric dryers. It is thought that physical rubbing of hands on towel further reduces germs from levels obtained by washing hand alone. Make sure that you use clean towel, rub thoroughly and leave the cloth towel open for drying after use.
It is a known fact that germs are important cause of disease and fighting them with sophisticated scientific advances is effective. Good hygiene is important to protect ourselves against infection. Hand washing is most important practise to keep away germs
