Washing your hands takes a little bit more time than just getting your hands wet and wiping them on your pants (I witnessed my 6 year old doing this). In order to get your hands nice and clean your going to need a few items and about 30 seconds.

1. Soap

2. Water

3. Drying (Towels, Paper Towels, or Air Dry)

To wash your hands:

• Damp your hands with warm water and place a dime size amount of liquid soap, or lather a good amount of soap onto your hands if using bar soap.

• Not involving the water, scrub your hands vigorously for twenty seconds. (This involves your fingernails, in between your fingers, and the tops and palms of your hands up to your wrists) The song “Happy Birthday” is usually suggested to sing as you was your hands. Sung twice.

• After everything has been completely scrubbed, now rinse your hands with warm water

• Dry using a towel (if at home), a paper towel (everywhere else), or blow dryer.

I personally am not a fan of the air dry method with the powerful blow dryers (no pun intended). Most of the time my hands are still a little damp, which in my opinion makes them prone to pick up even more bugs when I open the restroom door. It may be a little wasteful, but I will always choose a paper towel over the blow drying method. With the paper towel I am able to scrub off even more bugs that my have still been on my hands as I dry them. Plus, I now have something that I can use between my hands and the handle for the restroom door. There is the case that the doors swing out from the restroom (thank you to those establishments who install their doors this way), I usually use my foot to push the door open and eliminate any risk of my hands touching any surfaces directly involved with the restroom. Most public places you will find do not have a door on the restroom. Which is extremely helpful with the little ones not touching everything after you help them wash their hands.