Hand washing guidelines

To stay healthy and clean, wash your hands with warm water and soap. The guidelines below are based on information from the US Centers for Disease Control.

When to wash your hands

Before touching your hand to your mouth. This includes eating, drinking, smoking and brushing your teeth.

Before and after helping a sick person.

After going to the bathroom, changing diapers or blowing your nose.

After touching high-hand-contact surfaces, such as door knobs, railings, computers in the computer center.

It's also a good idea to wash your hands when you return to your cabin, just as a matter of habit.

How to wash your hands

Think you know how to wash your hands? We thought we did, too!

According to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), many people don't wash their hands thoroughly enough.

Here's what CDC recommends:

1. Wet your hands with warm water.
2. Apply a generous amount of soap.
3. Rub your hands together for 20 seconds.
4. Rinse your hands.
5. Dry your hands with a towel.
6. Use the towel to turn off the faucet and open the door.

What about alcohol-based hand sanitizers?

Diligent washing with warm water and soap is always best.

If water and soap are NOT available (perhaps on an excursion), use an ethanol alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Be sure your hand sanitizer has a minimum alcohol content of 62%. Some store-bought sanitizers have as little as 40%, and are next to useless.

When using a hand sanitizer, vigorously rub all sides of your hands with enough gel or foam to get them wet, and rub them together until they are dry.