The Five Steps to Proper Handwashing

1. Use running water that drains – not a stoppered sink or container.

2. Use liquid soap for children, preferably for adults too.

3. Rub your hand together for 15-30 seconds. Friction helps remove soil that holds germs. Scrub as long as it takes to sing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”.

Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are.

4. Rinse hands, fingertips down, from wrists to nails, under running water until all soil and soap are gone.

5. Turn off faucet with a paper towel. Dirty hands turned on the faucet and you don’t want to contaminate clean hands with the dirty faucet. Throw the paper towel into a lined, covered trash container, preferably one with a foot pedal.

Everyone should wash hands at the following times:

 upon arrival for the day or when moving from one group to another  Before and after: o Eating, handling food or feeding a child o Giving medication o Playing in water that is used by more than one person o Diapering

 after: o using the toilet or helping a child use the toilet o handling bodily fluid (mucus, blood, vomit) from sneezing wiping and blowing noses, from mouths, or from sores o handling uncooked food, especially raw meat and poultry o handling pets and other animals o playing in sandboxes o cleaning or handling the garbage