Your hands are the best tools for a variety of purposes. You use them for making delicious meals, completing work, caring for yourself, holding hands with loved ones, walking those furry four-legged friends and a countless amount of other tasks. Making sure you care for them by washing them regularly can ensure you stay healthy and they stay functioning.
How can washing your hands provide benefits to your health?
Hands are the common carriers for all kinds of bacteria that can cause many kinds of illnesses. Some of the most common ones are the cold and flu. These limbs also have the potential to transport bacteria that could cause eye, respiratory, and skin infections. Certain types of skin infections are fatal such as MRSA commonly known as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Just like skin infections could be fatal, some eye infections could leave you blind, and particularly respiratory infections even with treatment could leave you needing medications for the rest of your life. Simply washing your hands with soap and water after using the restrooms, coming in contact with an ill individual, or touching anything in general that could potentially carry any kind of bacteria can not only protect your health but save your life.
When are the best times to wash your hands?
- After coughing and sneezing
- Before touching a newborn or elderly
- Once you are done using the restroom
- Before cooking or baking in the kitchen
- After taking the trash out or picking up garbage
- After touching your pets and cleaning up their messes
- Once you are done grocery shopping carts are full of germs
- After visiting a hospital or nursing home
- Anytime you use your hands for cleaning the house
- Whenever you feel or know your hands need a good washing
What soaps should you use to cleanse your hands?
Some people say that washing your hands with antibacterial soap is the best kind to use because it kills all germs, but others say that particular kind of soap will prevent your immune system from becoming stronger. Bottom line when it comes to washing your hands is that any good old fashion soap will get your hands clean and safe to use. The part that people don’t usually keep in mind is the amount of time you wash your hands is what determines how clean and safe your hands are. Quickly rinse your hands with tons of warm water and soap doesn’t always do the trick for killing dangerous bacteria. In order to achieve clean and almost completely germ-free hands, you must wash them for at least 20 seconds or more. You must also focus on lathering in between the fingers and scrubbing underneath the nails since these are areas that dangerous germs could potentially hangout.
What are some end thoughts to keep in mind?
If you skip on washing your hands often because you are afraid they will dry out go ahead and use a moisturizing hand soap, or apply a moisturizing hand cream after washing them. This will ensure your hands stay soft and healthy to use for whatever purposes you need to use them for on a daily basis. It will also ensure anyone you touch stays healthy too, which they will gladly thank you for.