Hand Washing Helping Hands Tip Sheet

Did you know? According to Caring for Our Proper hand washing is the Children, National Health and best way to reduce the Safety Performance Standards, amount of illness traveling hands should be washed: around your program. 1. Upon arrival. 2. Before and after preparing, handling or How should hands be washed? eating food or beverages. 1. Turn on the water, wet hands, and then apply soap. 3. Using the toilet/diapering. 2. Rub hands together vigorously for about 20 4. Coming in contact with seconds. Make sure all parts of hands and fingers bodily fluids or mucus. are cleaned. 5. Handling animals or 3. Rinse hands under running water, until they are cleaning up after animals. free of soap. 6. Playing in sand, using 4. Leave water running, dry hands on a disposable outdoor equipment, and towel, and use the towel to turn off the water. participating in outdoor 5. Use a towel to open the bathroom door if play. necessary. 7. Handling garbage.

Important information when using hand Something to think about: sanitizer:

Many germs are transmitted by the “fecal –oral Alcohol based sanitizers can be toxic. Store out route.” Careful hand washing after toileting or of reach of chidlren. diapering is crucial. In order to be effective, hand sanitizers should Many germs are transmitted from human hands contain 60% to 95% alcohol. coming in contact with raw food. Using gloves does not replace hand washing. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to insure Using hand sanitizer does not replace hand the effectivness of hand sanitizers. washing.