How Hand Washing Protects Your Family

Our hands come in contact with a variety of surfaces throughout the day, and they attract a lot of germs. So how does keeping the hands clean protect the family? Let’s take a closer look at how the simple habit of hand washing with soap and water can help protect you and your family from many different illness-causing germs.

Babies

Practicing good hand hygiene is doubly important if you have a baby to care for. Babies have immature immune systems, which makes them susceptible to many illnesses. The first step is to wash your hands with warm water and soap before handling the baby, and insisting other family members on doing the same. This protects the baby from harmful germs and illnesses. If you are away from soap and water, you can quickly sanitize your hands with Dettol Instant Hand Sanitizer.

While handling your baby, take note of the following situations in which to wash your hands:

• Before picking up your baby
• Before feeding your baby
• Before and after changing the baby’s nappy

Children

Children are also vulnerable to many illnesses such as the flu or a host of diarrheal disorders. These illnesses can spread very quickly among children that are in close quarters with each other, while at play, or at nursery or school, via many contaminated surfaces. But washing the hands regularly with water and soap such as Dettol Original Liquid Hand Wash significantly reduces the rate of illness. Instil good hand hygiene in your children from a young age.

You must teach your children to wash their hands:

• Before eating their meals (whether at home or at school)
• After playing outside
• After visiting the bathroom
• When they come home from school

Mum & Dad

Mother and father are the heads and caregivers of the family, so good hand hygiene is especially important for them. Parents have many responsibilities around the house, from keeping it clean to cooking food for the family. All of these activities require clean hands so that germs are not spread around. The easiest way to do this is by washing your hands as often as possible with soap and water, to prevent the spread of unwanted germs.

Parents should wash their hands:

• Before cooking food
• After handling raw food
• After doing household chores such as emptying the garbage
• Before and after tending to unwell children

Correct Hand Washing Techniques

Your hands can be protected from germs by washing them correctly. Follow this simple 8 step hand washing guide

1. Wet hands with water.
2. Apply enough Dettol Antibacterial Soap to cover all hand surfaces. Or use 2 pumps of Dettol Antibacterial Liquid Hand Wash
3. Rub hands palm to palm, up to and including wrists.
4. Right palm over back of left with linked fingers and vice versa.
5. Palm to palm with fingers linked.
6. Backs of fingers to opposing palms with fingers interlocked.
7. Rinse hands well with water.
8. Dry hands with a paper towel.

So there you have it – washing the hands daily with soap and water protects you and your family members from many illnesses.