http://www.greenlivingonline.com/HealthNutrition/best-antibacterial-your-hands/
(Feb 11, 2008)
Stop worrying about the soap you use. Proper hand washing is what’s going to keep you germ-free and healthy. How does your technique compare? 
Forgetting what mom taught us
Despite the proven health benefits, we’ve become lazy when it comes to washing our hands. Some of us aren’t washing our hands after using the toilet (eeww) and those of use who are washing our paws aren’t doing it properly.
Triclosan not the answer
Blame it on those soaps claiming antibacterial properties that will protect us. They’ve given us a false sense of security. Read Tricky Triclosan to find out more about the false promise of antibacterial soaps.
Hand to mouth
According to the Mayo Clinic, we are constantly collecting germs on our hands from a variety of sources whether it’s direct contact with people or by touching contaminated surfaces. We spread the germs by touching our eyes, nose, and mouth.
The common cold and flu along with some nasty gastrointestinal disorders are commonly spread through hand-to-hand contact. Inadequate hand hygiene also contributes to the spread of pneumonia, salmonella and E. coli infection. Washing your hands frequently cuts down on the spread of germs.
Action is the key
It’s the friction that does the trick - NOT the soap. Rubbing and scrubbing removes the dirt and micorganisms that cause disease. Follow these six simple steps:Wet your hands thoroughly. Cover your hands with soap and lather it up. Rub your hand for 20 to 30 seconds to remove germs. Not sure how long 30 seconds is? Sing the Happy Birthday or Twinkle, twinkle little star song twice through. If you’re not musical then try ten circles around the wrist, ten scrubs with your nails on ten rubs of the fingers. Don’t forget the thumbs, especially the crease leading up to the forefinger - a favourite spot for germs. Be sure to wash around your cuticles and fingernails. Wash under your rings. Be sure to rinse well. No point leaving contaminated soap on your hands. Dry your hands with a towel or air dryer Consider the sink and faucet contaminated and use the towel to turn off the tap. When water is not available use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Only those with alcohol are effective for killing germs.
Check out the source
It doesn’t matter what kind of soap you use but you should prevent your soap from being contaminated. Clean out those self-draining soap holders before putting in a new bar. Clean off those plastic liquid soap containers before refilling. Check to make sure you can re-use the bottle. Many are designed to be one-off. A ceramic liquid soap dispenser might be the way to go.
Are you washing enough?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention you should always wash your hands after the following activities:Before preparing or eating food After going to the bathroom After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has gone to the bathroom Before and after tending to someone who is sick After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing After handling an animal or animal waste After handling garbage Before and after treating a cut or wound. Turns out Mom was right. Soap and water does the trick.
Shelagh McNally is the editor of Green Living Online who suspects her keyboard is not-germ free.
Mother Nature's best antibacterial: your hands!
Image: istockphoto.com/Robert Gubbins
Forgetting what mom taught us
Despite the proven health benefits, we’ve become lazy when it comes to washing our hands. Some of us aren’t washing our hands after using the toilet (eeww) and those of use who are washing our paws aren’t doing it properly.
Triclosan not the answer
Blame it on those soaps claiming antibacterial properties that will protect us. They’ve given us a false sense of security. Read Tricky Triclosan to find out more about the false promise of antibacterial soaps.
Hand to mouth
According to the Mayo Clinic, we are constantly collecting germs on our hands from a variety of sources whether it’s direct contact with people or by touching contaminated surfaces. We spread the germs by touching our eyes, nose, and mouth.
The common cold and flu along with some nasty gastrointestinal disorders are commonly spread through hand-to-hand contact. Inadequate hand hygiene also contributes to the spread of pneumonia, salmonella and E. coli infection. Washing your hands frequently cuts down on the spread of germs.
Action is the key
It’s the friction that does the trick - NOT the soap. Rubbing and scrubbing removes the dirt and micorganisms that cause disease. Follow these six simple steps:
Check out the source
It doesn’t matter what kind of soap you use but you should prevent your soap from being contaminated. Clean out those self-draining soap holders before putting in a new bar. Clean off those plastic liquid soap containers before refilling. Check to make sure you can re-use the bottle. Many are designed to be one-off. A ceramic liquid soap dispenser might be the way to go.
Are you washing enough?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention you should always wash your hands after the following activities:
Shelagh McNally is the editor of Green Living Online who suspects her keyboard is not-germ free.
2 Comments
posted Feb 19, 2008 - 8:13 am by Becky Cormier
I work at a staate run facility for the Developmentally Dissabled and we come in contact with germs and diseases of all kinds we have hand sanitizer throughout the fascillity, but what I would like to see is Dial the original yellow antibacterial soap that my grandmother made us use as kids to kill the germs and promote healling. I've yet to convince the doctors and nursing of that yet.
posted Mar 4, 2008 - 4:13 am by Damian Hinman
Dial yellow antibacterial soap aka Dial Liquid Gold antimicrobial soap lists Triclosan as its main active ingredient (see the link to the many harms of "tricky triclosan" in this article above).Interesting to read that the previous comment writer's grandmother had him or her using this soap. Sadly, it seems harmful and unnecessary chemical solutions have been around long enough for people to sentimentalize them as "old-fashioned," as their wholesome childhood household mainstay.
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