Get hands-on with health.
Have a hand in staying healthy.
Wash your hands to
keep you
and your loved ones safe!
It’s not enough to just rinse.
Discover how to remove germs from your hands more effectively, by washing
your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds.
You are holding on to germs
when you don’t wash your hands.
Know when you should wash your hands to get rid of the germs right away.
Washing your hands when
they feel dirty is not enough.
Learn the different ways germs can be carried and how to remove them.
Wash your hands well
and stay in the pink of health!
Don’t be a spreader of germs. Practise proper hand washing habits and prevent the spread of germs that make you sick.
The Coolest Hand Wash Guide
Clean hands will always be in style! Follow these 8 steps for at least 20 seconds to wash the germs away.
What if we could see how germs spread?
See how you can break the chain of infection.
Wash your hands regularly with soap and water to protect you and your loved ones.
Wash, Don’t Rinse
Learn how you can remove germs effectively
from your hands.
Stop rushing, start washing
It takes at least 20 seconds of scrubbing with soap and water to break germs down.
Scrub it clean
Fingertips, between your fingers,
the back of your hands and under your nails,
a scrubbing motion helps to break down
the dirty particles on your hands.
Don’t just wipe
Simply using water or wet wipes can’t break germs down.
Not all sanitisers are the same
Sanitisers can be helpful, but only the right ones. Only use hand sanitisers with at least 60% alcohol to help break germs down when you are on the go.
Soap is better
Always use soap to clean your hands.
Hand sanitisers, while helpful,
can’t replace proper hand washing.
Hand washing is easy to get right.
Here’s a guide on how to do it properly:
When to Wash
Learn the occasions when you should wash your hands.
Aaa-Choo!... Bless you!
Wash up!
Germs found in respiratory droplets from coughs and sneezes can be carried through the air and land on your hands.
Trash the germs
Toss out the garbage, and the germs as well. It’s important to properly clear out the germs that come from handling rubbish.
Flush it away
Don’t forget to wash away the germs on your hands after you relieve yourself.
Don’t make your hands
a public hotspot for germs
Always remember to wash your hands after
touching common and public surfaces.
Don’t feed on germs
Don’t let your meals come with an extra serving of germs. Wash your hands before and after you eat.
Keep germs off your face
Guilty of being a face-toucher? Did you know that we touch our face countless times throughout the day? Break this habit, resist the urge and wash your hands before you touch your face or eyes.
Knowing when to wash your hands is an important step in preventing the spread of infections. Here are the key times when you should wash your hands:
Wash Regularly
Learn why you should wash your hands regularly.
Frequent hand washing is effective
When it comes to keeping your hands clean, it’s better to be regular about it. Wash your hands frequently to prevent germs from building up.
Can’t dodge the germs
No matter how fast your hands
may be, you can’t avoid the germs in
the air particles that are expelled and projected during close contact.
Germs like it damp
Germs often grow where
there is moisture. Dry your hands
and surfaces as thoroughly as you can, because moist places are where germs thrive.
Relieve yourself of germs
Toilet plumes, the particles that get airborne with every flush, may carry germs — and cause germs to linger in the air long enough to land on your hands.
Did you know these about hand washing?
Washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
reduces germ count by up to 99%.
Using soap and water to wash your hands is more effective than
using hand sanitiser. Soap and water remove certain germs that
hand sanitisers cannot kill.
Percentage of alcohol in hand sanitisers matters.
Choose one that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Wet wipes are not as effective as soap and water. Those with less
than 60% alcohol do not reliably remove germs from your hands.
Use a hand sanitiser with at least 60% alcohol and follow these steps for clean hands.
Download the 8-step guide to hand sanitising
Help yourself and your loved ones stay healthy by washing your hands regularly, especially during these key occasions:
Before and after meals
After using the toilet
Before and after handling food
After touching garbage
After touching common surfaces
(e.g door handles, railings, light switches, shopping carts/baskets)After blowing nose, sneezing or coughing
Before and after using public transportation
Download the list of occasions to wash your hands
Washing your hands with water alone is less effective than washing them with soap. That’s because the friction from the rubbing motion when using soap breaks down the grease and dirt that carry most germs, leaving your hands clean and smelling pleasant.
Washing hands with soap and water for 15 seconds (about the time it takes to sing the chorus of the birthday song) reduces bacterial count by about 90%. When another 15 seconds is added, the bacterial count drops by close to 99.9%. Evidence suggests that washing hands for 15 to 30 seconds removes more germs than washing for shorter periods. Many countries and global organisations recommend 20 seconds of hand washing.
Download the 8-step guide to hand washing
CONTRIBUTED BY
Communicable Diseases Agency
