To Wash or Not to Wash

Hand washing can save lives

Throughout the Linn-Benton campus there are 18 separate buildings. Among these buildings are restrooms.

Located inside all the restrooms are sinks, soap, paper towels, or hand dryers. There is even a friendly reminder posted to wash your hands after using the restroom.

A survey conducted on campus by The Commuter, 15 percent of staff and students do not wash their hands.

Honestly, how many of you remember to wash your hands after using the restroom? How to properly wash your hands? These are questions that every person should be asking themselves.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “keeping hands clean is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of infection and illness.”

Hand washing is as simple as tying your shoe. It is most effective in all settings if done properly.

Keeping your hands clean can stop germs from spreading person to person and through the community. This is very important as Linn-Benton is a community college with thousands on campus daily.

There are times a minimum of four times before activities and five times after activities in which hand washing is necessary to help prevent the spread of infection and illness. When in doubt, a good hand wash never hurt anyone.  

The most important part is how simple it really is: wet, lather, scrub, rinse, and dry. These five steps are easy, but just remember that while performing these steps to scrub for at least 20 seconds. It is very important to scrub the germs away.  

The CDC suggests humming the "Happy Birthday" song from beginning to end twice.

When asked how long you should wash your hands for, student Brittney Holder said, “Counting the ABC’s.”

If water and soap are not available then use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.

According to the CDC, “Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of microbes on hands in some situations, but sanitizers do not eliminate all types of germs.” “Hand sanitizers may not be as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy.”

When should you wash your hands?

• Before, during, and after preparing food
• Before eating food
• Before and after caring for someone who is sick
• Before and after treating a cut or wound
• After using the toilet
• After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
• After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
• After touching garbage

What is the right way to wash your hands?

• Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
• Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
• Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the "Happy Birthday" song from beginning to end twice.
• Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
• Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

How do you use hand sanitizers?

• Apply the product to the palm of one hand (read the label to learn the correct amount).
• Rub your hands together.
• Rub the product over all surfaces of your hands and fingers until your hands are dry.