We know you are probably tired of hearing about tips on washing your hands, but these include some new and important ideas. And, combined with Shugar Soaps, they can help keep you healthy all year long.
New Handwashing Tips
1. Soap and water are the gold standard for hand washing. The soap’s ingredients are not as important as the lather it creates. The lather is the mechanism for trapping, removing, and rinsing away microorganisms. Friction is your friend—make sure to work up a good foamy froth with whatever soap you use. At Shugar, we triple mill our soaps to maximize the lather you get with every wash.
2. Think of your thumbs. Believe it or not, most of us consistently forget to wash our thumbs – especially the outside. It’s a simple tip that can go a long way toward good health.
3. Don’t overlook your dominant hand. Surprisingly, people often wash their non-dominant hand more than their dominant one. So if you are right handed, give that right hand some extra TLC. If your dominant hand is the left one, be sure it gets equal time. Remember, the dominant hand is also the one most likely to spread germs to yourself and others.
4. Twenty seconds can seem like forever. We all know by now that 20 seconds is the minimum recommended amount of time to spend lathering and rubbing your palms, fingertips, and the outside of your hands. Use a simple trick like singing a song or saying prayer, or use the timer on your mobile device to be sure you spend enough time washing before you rinse.
5. You don’t have to use hot water. In fact, cold, cool, or lukewarm water temperatures are better as they are gentler on your skin. Use the temperature you find most comfortable as long as you wash for 20 seconds.
6. Think about how you dry your hands too. From paper towels and blowers to cloth towels – all work fine. However, if someone in your home is sick never share their towel. Also, remember to wash your family’s towels often.
7. You know those silly “Wash your hands” signs? They work. There are all sorts of fun, decorate bathroom signs that get the message across, consider buying or printing one for each of your bathrooms.
8. Hand sanitizer is not a substitute for soap. It is a good temporary solution when you can’t wash your hands properly, but it isn’t as effective as soap in preventing the spread of some organisms, including norovirus. And, the alcohol in hand sanitizers can dry your skin and leave it feeling chapped and sore.
9. Visiting a hospital? Think like the Karate Kid: Wash in, wash out. Washing your hands on the way into a room helps keep new germs away from the person you’re visiting. Washing your hands on the way out helps keep germs you may have picked up out of your home.