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Washing your hands might seem like a simple task, but it plays a crucial role in preventing the spread of germs and keeping you healthy. Every day, your hands come into contact with countless surfaces, picking up bacteria and viruses that can make you or others ill. Knowing when and how to wash your hands properly can help protect you from common infections like colds, flu, and even COVID-19.
Why Is Handwashing Important?
Handwashing helps remove dirt, bacteria, and viruses from your hands. Germs can easily spread through touch, especially in places like schools, public transport, and shops. If you touch your face, eat food, or shake hands with someone, these germs can enter your body and make you sick.
By washing your hands regularly, you can:
- Reduce the risk of getting sick
- Prevent the spread of infections to friends and family
- Keep your surroundings cleaner
- Help stop the spread of diseases in schools and public places
When Should You Wash Your Hands?
There are key moments throughout the day when washing your hands is especially important. Here are the times when you should always clean your hands:
1. Before Eating or Preparing Food
Your hands can carry germs from the surfaces you touch. If you don't wash them before eating, you can transfer bacteria from your hands to your mouth. This can lead to stomach bugs, food poisoning, and other illnesses.
2. After Using the Toilet
Bathrooms are full of germs, even if they look clean. Washing your hands after using the toilet helps prevent the spread of harmful bacteria and viruses that could cause stomach infections.
3. After Coughing, Sneezing, or Blowing Your Nose
Colds, flu, and other respiratory illnesses spread through droplets from your nose and mouth. If you sneeze into your hands and then touch a door handle, phone, or another surface, you could pass germs onto someone else. Washing your hands after sneezing or coughing helps stop the spread of illness.
4. After Touching Animals or Pets
Even if your pet looks clean, animals can carry bacteria like Salmonella or parasites that can make you sick. Washing your hands after touching pets, cleaning up their waste, or feeding them helps prevent infections.
5. After Handling Rubbish
Bins and rubbish bags contain bacteria and other harmful substances. Washing your hands after taking out the bin or handling waste helps remove any germs you may have picked up.
6. After Using Public Transport
Buses, trains, and public spaces have surfaces that thousands of people touch every day. Handrails, seats, and buttons can carry bacteria and viruses, making handwashing essential after using public transport.
7. After Touching Shared Objects
In schools, gyms, and public places, people share objects like pens, computer keyboards, and sports equipment. Washing your hands after using shared items reduces the risk of picking up and spreading germs.
8. Before and After Treating a Cut or Wound
If you have a cut, even a small one, washing your hands before and after touching it helps prevent infection.
9. When You Get Home
Your hands pick up germs throughout the day, especially when you've been outside. Washing your hands as soon as you get home helps prevent bringing bacteria into your house.
10. Before and After Visiting Someone Who Is Ill
If you are visiting a friend or family member who is sick, washing your hands before and after your visit helps protect them from additional germs and keeps you safe from their illness.
The Real-Life Impact on a Young Person
Handwashing may not seem like a big deal, but it can have a real impact on your health and daily life.
Sam's Story:
Sam, 15, loved playing football with his friends. One week, he caught a stomach bug and had to miss an important match. He later realised he hadn't washed his hands before eating lunch after touching shared equipment at school. His doctor explained that proper handwashing could have prevented the illness.
After recovering, Sam became more mindful about washing his hands, especially before eating or after using public transport. He noticed he got sick less often and was able to enjoy more time with friends and sports.
How to Wash Your Hands Properly
Washing your hands properly is just as important as knowing when to do it. Here's the best way to clean your hands:
- Wet your hands with clean, running water.
- Apply soap and lather well, making sure to cover all areas.
- Scrub for at least 20 seconds try singing Happy Birthday twice to time yourself.
- Rinse your hands under clean water.
- Dry your hands with a clean towel or let them air dry.
What If You Can't Wash Your Hands?
Sometimes, soap and water aren't available, especially when you're out and about. In these cases, using hand sanitiser with at least 60% alcohol is a good alternative. However, hand sanitiser doesn't remove all types of germs, so washing with soap and water is always best when possible.
How to Encourage Others to Wash Their Hands
Not everyone remembers to wash their hands regularly, so encouraging friends and family to practise good hygiene can help prevent the spread of illness. Here are some ways to promote handwashing:
- Lead by example wash your hands regularly so others do the same.
- Remind friends to wash their hands before eating.
- Share facts about handwashing to show its importance.
- Keep hand sanitiser with you and offer it to others when needed.
Final Thoughts
Washing your hands is one of the easiest and most effective ways to stay healthy. By washing your hands at key times before eating, after using the toilet, after touching shared objects, and when coming home you can help prevent illnesses and protect those around you.
Making handwashing a regular habit will help you stay healthier, miss fewer school days, and enjoy more time with friends and activities.
How are you feeling?
It is really important that when we need help, we feel able to ask for it. This could be speaking to a parent, a close friend, a teacher or someone else you trust. Sometimes it can be really hard to share our feelings with other people but if we are feeling low or don't know where to turn, sharing with others is really important. Teachers will always take you seriously and listen to your problems in confidence if you approach them for help. Likewise, parents, siblings or friends will help you if you reach out to them.
If you feel like you can't speak to anyone you know, there are people and organisations that can help support you:
- Childline - Call them on 0800 1111 any time of the day or night, every day of the week
- NSPCC - Call them on 0808 800 5000 between 10am and 4pm Monday to Friday or email them on help@NSPCC.org.uk
- The Samaritans – Call them on 116 123 any time of the day or night, every day of the week
- SANE – Call 0300 304 7000 for support (4:30pm - 10:30pm every day)
- Mind – Call 0300 123 3393 (9:00am - 6:00pm Monday to Friday)
*Sometimes we will use real life examples in our articles to aid understanding. When we do, names and ages will be changed.