How to Wash Your Hands the Right Way (CDC's 5 Steps)

Washing your hands is one of the best ways to avoid getting sick, and to keep from spreading germs. But most of us rush it. Here are the C D C's five simple steps.

1. Step 1: Wet

Wet your hands with clean, running water. Warm or cold both work. Turn off the tap, and put on soap.

2. Step 2: Lather

Rub your hands together to make a lather. Get the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails. Those are the spots people miss.

3. Step 3: Scrub For 20 Seconds

Keep scrubbing for at least twenty seconds. Need a timer? The C D C suggests humming the Happy Birthday song from beginning to end, twice.

4. Step 4: Rinse

Rinse your hands well, under clean, running water.

5. Step 5: Dry

Dry them with a clean towel, or an air dryer.

6. When To Wash

Wash before and after you cook or eat, after using the bathroom or changing a diaper, after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing, and after touching pets, pet food, or garbage.

7. No Sink Nearby?

If soap and water aren't available, use a hand sanitizer with at least sixty percent alcohol. Check the label. But soap and water are still the best choice.