Remember the ad? Wash your hands Jeffery, with the Solvol Jeffery.

How often and when should I wash my hands?

If you were Jeffery it was only when you were coming inside after a hard day playing in the garden, and when your mother told you.

The basics for good hand hygiene are:

  • after going to the toilet
  • after blowing your nose
  • after smoking
  • after handling/patting animals
  • before, during & after preparing food
  • when your hands are visibly dirty

But then there are industry specific times.

In Health Care Hand Hygiene Australia has developed a 5 moments of washing your hands.

Before touching a patient

  • Before a procedure
  • After the procedure or body fluid exposure risk
  • After touching the patient
  • After touching the patient’s surrounds

There are other times as well.

  • Before and after squeezing pimples
  • Before touching food or eating
  • After going to the toilet
  • After blowing your nose, sneezing or coughing
  • Before and after touching and cut, wound or rash
  • After handling the rubbish
  • After playing in the dirt/garden/sandpit
  • After work
  • At the end of each recess/playtime/lunch break
  • When you arrive home
  • touching or preparing different types of food (eg chicken then vegetables; or fish then beef)

For more information on Hand Hygiene, visit our Hand Hygiene information pages on GlitterBug.net.au