The importance of washing hands

It is well known that improper handwashing can lead to the spread of germs. However, as cleaning professionals, the importance of this in our industry is sometimes overlooked. Even if your cleaning staff wear gloves, it’s important that they spend the extra time needed to make sure chemicals and germs wash off their hands thoroughly.

Wash hands thoroughly after using chemicals, cleaning up spills, or emptying trash, even if gloves were worn. At least 20 seconds are needed for the wash to be effective. Follow these steps to have completely clean hands:

1. Wet your hands under warm running water before using soap, either bar or liquid.

2. Add soap and rub hands together to lather. This must be done away from running water, so that the foam is not removed.

3. Wash the front and back of your hands, between your fingers, and under your fingernails. Continue rubbing your hands together for an additional 15 seconds.

4. Rinse your hands well under lukewarm running water.

5. Dry your hands thoroughly with clean towels or a blow dryer.

If soap and water are not available, it is a good idea to have alcohol-based hand sanitizers, gels, or antibacterial wipes as an alternative.

It is especially important in healthcare settings that employees take the extra time to ensure they have removed any contaminants they have come into contact with. Problem areas in healthcare settings include: door handles, patient bed rails, patient and pay phones, restrooms, treatment areas, and furniture.

Surveys show that proper training is beneficial for employees to pay attention to their handwashing habits. When training your employees, be sure to include this vital information on how to keep your hands clean.