Why Handwashing

Why is handwashing so important?

Our hands are covered with millions of germs (or microbes). Some are harmless, but others can make us sick. Nobody enjoys having a cold, the flu or diarrhea, right?

Proper hand washing (for at least 15-20 seconds) helps to remove harmful germs from your hands. You can protect yourself from illness by washing your hands because you can pass germs to your mouth, nose, eyes or an open sore. Hand washing also prevents spreading germs to other people.

Germs can also be lurking on objects, like pencils, handles, phones, and doorknobs. If the person that used the object before you didn’t wash his or her hands, germs can be passed on to you.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Hand washing is the single most important means of preventing the spread of infection.”

So, it’s important to be a Soaper Hero and WASH YOUR HANDS!