For most of us, the winter months mean snow, holiday festivities, and visiting with friends and family. Along with the good, it also means the dreaded cold and flu season are upon us. According to the CDC it is estimated that the common flu accounts for 3.1 million hospitalized days and that the average adult suffers from 2-3 colds a year.

Want to avoid the cold and flu this winter season?  Don’t discredit how to wash a pair of hands can go a long way in avoiding illness this cold and flu season. Hand washing often can help reduce the spread of germs that lead to the common cold and flu. Although this is an activity that most people feel familiar with, a recent study by the CDC indicated that 95% of people who were observed were washing their hands incorrectly. Below are some helpful tips to ensure proper techniques on how to wash hands.

  1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off tap and apply soap.
  2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with soap. Common places that are missed are the back of the hands, under your nails, and between your fingers, so don’t forget to scrub those areas!
  3. Scrub hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a mental timer? Sing happy birthday from beginning to end a couple times.
  4. Rinse hands under clean running water.
  5. Dry hands with clean towel or air dry (don’t dry on shirt or wipe on pants.)

Good hand hygiene has been shown to:

Reduce respiratory illness such as cold and flu in the general population by 21%

Reduce the number of people who get sick with diarrhea by 31%

Reduces diarrheal illness in people with weakened immune systems by 58%.

So get out there and wash your hands!