Everyone is taught to wash their hands from a young age to help keep germs at bay since handwashing is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family from getting sick. While we all know the basics of handwashing, COVID-19 made everyone hyperaware to cleanliness and handwashing signs and practices spiked to help people stay healthy.
Know when to wash your hands
In addition to washing your hands after preparing food, using the toilet, and blowing your nose, it’s important that you do so any time you handle garbage, change diapers, and clean up an area where a spill has occurred in your home. You will also want to be washing your hands frequently if you are ill or have been in contact with someone who is sick and after you’ve touched high volume surfaces like door handles and handrails in public spaces.
The CDC says some the key times to wash hands include:
· Before, during, and after preparing food
· Before and after eating food
· Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea
· 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 handling pet food or pet treats
Always use clean, running water
The CDC recommends cleaning hands in a specific way to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. The very first recommended step to washing your hands effectively is to wet your hands using clean, running water and to apply soap. The running water is key because hands could become contaminated again if placed in a basin of standing water that has been contaminated through previous use.
Clean, running water should also be used after scrubbing your hands as soap and friction help to lift dirt, grease and microbes and you need to get rid of these effectively. Rinsing them off your hands is the best way to ensure your handwashing practices are as effective as possible.
Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds
Determining how long to wash your hands can be difficult but the standard recommendation by the CDC is for 20 seconds. One way to easily make sure you hit that optimal time recommendation is to hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice. During this time it’s important to scrub all surfaces including the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers, and under your fingernails.
Dry your hands with a clean towel or air-dry
Since germs can be easily transferred to and from wet hands, it is recommended that you thoroughly dry your hands after washing them. Some people recommend using clean towels or paper towels to do so while others say to air dry, and either is acceptable according to the Mayo Clinic.
When to hire a biohazard cleanup company
While general cleanup at home can be easily done using household products, there are times when it’s important to work with professional cleaning companies. If you are left with a crime scene, significant blood spill, or unattended death to clean up in your home, it’s important to work with biohazard cleanup companies.
Companies like Xtreme Cleaners have the knowledge, skills, proper equipment, and sensitivity to handle any job effectively and efficiently. When handling areas that may have been contaminated, simply wearing gloves, cleaning with all-purpose cleaners, and washing your hands will not be enough to effectively keep you safe and out of harm’s way. That’s where we come in.
Our team of highly trained technicians are certified in biohazard recovery and are here 24/7 to help so you can safely return to your home with the peace of mind that you deserve. Avoid the hassle of cleaning a hazardous space and get us involved quickly. If you or someone you know needs help decontaminating a space in Louisiana, give our team a call anytime at 800-524-9591.