How to Wash Your Hands

[Logoboros]

In one of those inane conversations friends often have, this particular point came up.

Here is how I wash my hands: I rinse them, then apply some handsoap, lather a bit, then rinse them off. (Admittedly, sometimes the lathering and rinsing off overlap more than they should -- i.e., I put the soap on and then move almost directly back into the stream of water as I rub them vigorously.)

My friend insists that I'm negating the soap by wetting my hands first, that the film of water acts as a kind of barrier that the soap just sits on. She says I should apply the soap to dry hands, then rinse.

I had heard that the reason soap works (this applying to soap generally, not to the antibacterial formulas) is that it "makes water smaller" -- breaks surface tension and such so that the water molecules penetrate into nooks and crannies better and thus carry off more particles.

If that's true, then wouldn't you want to be wet before applying the soap? After all, if you're using bar soap, you have to be wet.

Or is there something different about liquid hand soap or antibacterial soaps?

--Logoboros

[Morrigan]

From the CDC:

http://www.cdc.gov/cleanhands/

"When washing hands with soap and water:

*Wet your hands with clean running water and apply soap. Use warm water if it is available.
*Rub hands together to make a lather and scrub all surfaces.
*Continue rubbing hands for 20 seconds. Need a timer? Imagine singing "Happy Birthday" twice through to a friend!
*Rinse hands well under running water
*Dry your hands using a paper towel or air dryer. If possible, use your paper towel to turn off the faucet "

Sounds like I don't do it right....I put soap on, then water, then lather, then rinse.

Morrigan

[Logoboros]

Ah, yes. The 20-second rule. I have to say, the only times I think even come close to fulfilling this is if I've been knowingly working in something vaguely biohazardous, like emptying a litter pan or taking out leaky garbage or scrubbing the toilet.

I'm sure ten seconds is above-average for me, and that's for the whole washing process, start to finish -- not just the lather stage...

--Logoboros