It is important that YOU make hand washing a healthy habit. Hand washing can help prevent illness. When it comes to washing your hands, it is important to remember wet, lather, scrub, rinse, and dry. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), by washing your hands you can reduce the spread of diarrhea and respiratory illness.

Wash away the germs

By washing your hands often, you can keep yourself and your loved ones healthy. It is important to make sure to wash your hands especially during the times listed below. These are key times when you are likely to get and spread germs:

• Before, during, and after preparing food
• Before eating food
• Before and after caring for someone who is sick, vomiting, or has diarrhea
• Before and after treating a cut or wound
• After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• After changing diapers or cleaning up after a child who used the toilet
• After handling pet food or pet treats
• After touching garbage

8 Steps to washing your hands

It is important to take at least 20 seconds to wash your hands every time. Read each step below to ensure you are properly washing your hands.

1. Get your hands wet.
2. Put on soap.
3. Rub soapy hands for as long as it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” two times or about 20 seconds.
4. Scrub fingertips and between fingers. Make lots of bubbles!
5. Scrub just below your wrists.
6. Rinse off. Wash all those bubbles away.
7. Dry your hands with a paper towel.
8. Turn off water with the paper towel. Throw the paper towel away.

Be a germ fighter! Everyone wins when we all wash our hands, except for the germs.