Have you become an expert at washing your hands yet?
Given the coronavirus pandemic, many of us have. I’m sure that even the most conscientious of you are reading with chapped hands.
Being informed about COVID-19 and its spread is vital to making sure you and the people around you aren’t getting infected. One of the most effective ways to prevent this is to wash your hands – the correct way.
Think you know what you’re doing? Here are some of the lesser known facts about washing your hands to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Hand Washing Vs. Hand Sanitizer
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends washing your hands with soap and water as the best way to protect yourself from COVID-19.
Hand sanitizer is a great way to stay to stay safe, but it’s still slightly less effective than washing your hands. Why is that?
The physical structure of the COVID-19 virus is encapsulated in a fibrous sac. Soap and water breaks down the sac and destroys the virus. Hand sanitizer also gets the job done by inactivating the virus with its high alcohol content. But its effectiveness quickly sinks if your hands are soiled with dirt or grease.
Does Bar Soap Get Rid of Coronavirus?
If you’ve seen me on television, you know that I’m not a big fan of bar soap. They’re pretty and smell fantastic, but it also dries out your skin and throws your skin’s pH levels out of balance.
So while bar soap works for getting rid of germs and viruses on your hands, it will dry out your skin, similarly to hand sanitizer. Also, bar soap can be contaminated, especially if it was recently used and still wet. Liquid soap in a bottle with a pump is the safer bet to avoid the spread of germs.
How To Correctly Wash Your Hands
Just because you’re washing or sanitizing your hands doesn’t mean that you’re doing it effectively enough to get rid of germs and coronavirus.
Always wash or sanitize your hands:
-
- Before eating or preparing food
- After coughing or sneezing
- After using the bathroom
- After touching a surface that is touched often, like a door knob
How to Sanitize Your Hands
Make sure you’re using a hand sanitizer that has at least 60% alcohol. Any less won’t be effective in destroying the coronavirus.
Have the hand sanitizer cover all of your hands, including between your fingers. Let it dry before you continue with your day.
How to Wash Your Hands
To prevent coronavirus, you have to wash your hands with soap and water. Bar soap works, but liquid soap is more hygienic and less drying.
After wetting your hands, lather with soap taking care to wash your palms, the backs of yours hands, and between your fingers. Do this for at least 20 seconds. It doesn’t matter the temperature of the water, as long as both of your entire hands are washed thoroughly.
When you’re done, blot your hands dry.
Keep Your Hands Moisturized
This pandemic is probably doing a number on your hands. Constantly washing and sanitizing them will quickly dry them out. And you don’t want that – your hands are a dead giveaway to your real age, ladies.
Keep hand lotion handy. You WILL have to wash or sanitize your hands at some point, and it’s better to come prepared.
Stay Safe and Don’t Forget to #WashYourHands!
Washing your hands is an important part of staying healthy and keeping this virus at bay. You don’t want to get infected or infect others.
Share this and follow me on Twitter and Instagram @JustAskDavid for beauty tips and more ways to stay healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Comments are closed.