Germs are a natural part of life, but that doesn't mean you want them clinging to your hands. Unfortunately, doorknobs, cell phones, restaurant tables and other surfaces are teeming with infectious organisms. Your hands also come into contact with germs when you sneeze, use the restroom or handle raw meat, among other activities.
Washing your hands regularly helps you reduce your risk of contracting the following:
You should wash your hands several times per day, especially after doing the following activities:
When you're preparing a meal, it's also important to wash your hands after handling each type of food. For example, if you're making a salad, you may get dirt on your hands while peeling cucumbers and washing tomatoes. Therefore, you should wash up before you start slicing bread or putting together a casserole.
If you're going to wash your hands regularly, you should do it right. Follow these tips to make handwashing as effective as possible.
The first step is to wet your hands under running water. Warm water may feel better on your skin, but it doesn't matter if it's warm or cold. Just be careful not to burn yourself.
Although antibacterial soaps are popular, there's no evidence they're more effective than plain hand soap. Using antibacterial soap may also cause plumbing problems or harm the environment.
When the ingredients in this type of soap go down your drain, they kill the good bacteria that break down wastes in sewer and septic systems. It's also possible for triclosan and other ingredients to enter the local water supply, putting plants and animals at risk. To avoid these problems, stick with plain soap.
You should wash your hands for at least 20 seconds every time. If you don't feel like carrying a stopwatch everywhere, hum a tune as you scrub. The Gambler (Kenny Rogers), Sweet Caroline (Neil Diamond) and Thriller (Michael Jackson) all have choruses lasting at least 20 seconds.
Rubbing loosens dirt and makes it easier to get rid of germs. As you wash your hands, make sure you scrub your palms, wrists and the space between your fingers. Don't forget to wash under your fingernails.
Now it's time to rinse off. Move your hands under the running water until there's no soap remaining.
Finally, dry your hands with a clean towel. If you have dry skin, consider applying a moisturizing lotion each time you wash. Otherwise, you're all done.
Arthritis, poor balance and other health problems make it difficult for some seniors to wash their hands as often as necessary. If you struggle with this task, consider getting one of the following products to make things a little easier.
Originally designed for children who can't reach the faucet, faucet extenders are also helpful for older adults who can't lean forward far enough to wash their hands. The Munchkin Extend has a flexible design, which makes it easy to attach to faucets of different sizes. All you have to do is add it to your faucet and then wash your hands as usual.
Generally, you don't need any special products to keep your hands clean. Soap and plain water do the job just fine. However, many seniors have health conditions that prevent them from getting out of bed or moving around the house without assistance. If you can't get up as often as you'd like, keep hand sanitizer near your bed and your living room chair. Vaseline hand sanitizer lotion is a good choice, as it keeps your hands clean without drying out your skin.
If you have arthritis, you may not have the strength to push hard enough to dispense soap from a traditional pump. Consider purchasing a touchless soap dispenser to make things a little easier. The Cheerful Gifts dispenser has a sensor that lets it know when you move your hand underneath it. It also has no-drip technology to prevent messes without making it more difficult for you to wash your hands.
