Key Takeaways

• Soap is the Hero: It literally removes germs. Sanitiser can be a good backup, but never replace soap with it.
• 20 Seconds: Make sure you wash your hands for at least 20 seconds so the soap has time to work.
• Dry Thoroughly: One thousand times more bacteria are spread by wet hands than by dry hands.
• Pay Attention to Problem Areas: A reminder to clean the thumbs, fingertips, and wrists thoroughly.
• Keep Your Skin Healthy: Regular use of moisturising lotion helps maintain your skin barrier and prevent cracks that allow germs to enter.

Among our current concerns, handwashing is one habit we think about most. Washing hands has always been regarded as a fundamental skill, so it was introduced to children even before they started school. However, as a General Practitioner, I frequently observe a significant gap between people's perception of good hygiene and the measures that effectively prevent the spread of infections.

The handwashing myth refers to a misunderstanding of the importance of handwashing. It is clear that merely washing hands is insufficient; people also hold many misconceptions about proper handwashing technique. Simply rinsing your hands quickly and rubbing a little soap are basic practices that will not protect you.

Actually, even if you are a Healthcare Professional acquainted with the notion of effective handwashing, you can be tricked into believing that you are clean. You may feel your hands are fresh and clean after using the bathroom, but if you did not wash them properly, thousands of invisible bacteria and other microorganisms will remain. This post integrates human understanding and scientific findings to provide contemporary hygiene practices that can protect individuals, their families, and their communities.

Why does simple hand washing not suffice: Technique matters

During the physical interaction of your hand with soap and water, a complex chemical change occurs. Dirt and germs live in skin oils that your hands produce. If you use only water, no matter how thoroughly you rinse your hands, the oil will remain on the skin surface and is not readily washed away.

With soap, everything changes drastically. Different molecular groups in soap perform various functions: one end is water-loving (hydrophilic), and the other is oil-loving (hydrophobic). The oil-loving component of a soap molecule bonds with the oil on the skin, which contains viruses, while the water-loving component allows water to wash the viruses away.

After all, this procedure requires you to rub your hands together and spend sufficient time.

It should be 20 seconds.

It's something you've probably heard, and length matters. Healthdirect states that good hand hygiene involves thorough washing for a period equivalent to singing the 'Happy Birthday' song twice (around 20 seconds). Soap molecules must remain on the skin long enough to penetrate dirt and oil to remove them. If you reduce this, you do more harm than good by spreading pathogens.

For example, if you want to care for your skin, which is already sensitive to environmental elements and therefore you do not want to use harsh soaps that can dry it out, please refer to our Skin Hydration guide for tips on keeping your skin hydrated and healthy.

When and how should you wash your hands for maximum benefit?

One should not become overly zealous about handwashing but remain mindful and maintain high hand hygiene, especially during critical moments, which serve as a "firebreak" against infection. The Department of Health and Aged Care states that maintaining good hygiene remains the most potent single weapon in the fight against communicable diseases.

"Critical wash zones"

• Before: Eating, cooking or food preparation, or touching your face (especially eyes, nose, and mouth)
• After: using the toilet, sneezing, coughing, handling waste, or coming back home from public places such as a supermarket or using public transportation

Many people skip washing their hands after handling a restaurant menu and before eating the bread. In the opinion of a GP, the menu is one of the items people frequently touch and, as a result, is a potential source of contamination, yet it is rarely disinfected.

People with stomach or digestive problems must pay more attention to hygiene. Find out more about it in our Gastrointestinal Health section.

Hand Sanitiser or Soap and Water: Which is More Effective

This is a question that I often hear from my patients: Is hand gel more effective when used in a bottle or at the sink?

Decision: Soap and water wins.

Soap and water still have the pole position because they physically remove germs.

The Role of Hand Sanitiser

Hand sanitiser is the next best thing after soap and water if it contains at least 60% alcohol. However, the sanitiser cannot kill all types of bacterial spores. Hand sanitiser can be used when soap and water are not available, though it has limitations, especially for certain germs. Nevertheless, it has its limits:

• They are not effective on visibly dirty or greasy hands.
• They do not kill all types of germs (e.g., norovirus is resistant to sanitisers).
• They do not eliminate harmful chemicals, such as pesticides.

Use soap and water whenever possible. Use a sanitiser if you are travelling, entering/leaving shops, or using public transport.

Hand Drying: An Important Step to Avoid Germs Growth After Washing Your Hands

If you leave your hands slightly wet after washing, you create a more favourable environment for bacteria than if the hands are dry.

According to the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, hygienically clean hands must also be dried appropriately. It is well known that wet hands facilitate the transfer of bacteria from skin to surfaces and vice versa.

Ways of Drying

• Paper Towels: Typically, the most hygienic choice for outdoor use. Friction helps remove bacteria from your hands.
• Air Dryers: Efficient if you are using them correctly, but there is a debate going on about the possibility of particles spreading by air movement.
• Cloth Towels: At your location, ensure towels are washed regularly. A shared hand towel, even in a small family bathroom, can become a source of transmission.

Common hygiene mistakes: How to handle them

Initially, handwashing can be done perfectly okay, despite a couple of mistakes, we are only human after all. Research shows that people consistently repeat the same handwashing mistakes, and most of the time, the same spots go untouched. The researchers had used UV light during the experiments.

The Missed List

• Thumbs: We tend to focus more on the palms and other fingers, thereby overlooking the thumbs.
• Fingertips with Nails: This area contains the highest concentration of bacteria; therefore, it is vital to be thoroughly cleaned.
• Between the fingers: This is also referred to as the "web" and should be scrubbed.
• Wrist: Continue the washing motion slightly longer and extend it to the wrist.

Handwashing is not enough if you immediately turn the dirty tap with your hands.

The solution is to turn off the tap after handwashing, to use a paper towel in the public restroom, or to use your elbow if the tap is designed to allow this.

Debunking Hand Washing Myth: Top Advanced Hygiene Practices for Virus Prevention

Among our current concerns, handwashing may be one of the habits we most often think about. Washing hands has always been regarded as a fundamental skill, so it was introduced to children even before they started school. However, as a General Practitioner, I frequently observe a substantial gap between people's perceptions of good hygiene and the measures that effectively prevent the spread of infections.

The handwashing myth refers to a misunderstanding of the importance of handwashing. It is clear that merely washing hands is insufficient; people also have various misunderstandings about the correct method of handwashing. Simply rinsing your hands quickly and rubbing a little soap are only basic practices that will not protect you.

Why does simple hand washing not suffice: Technique matters

During physical contact between your hand and the surface water, a complex chemical change occurs. Dirt and germs live in skin oils that your hands produce. If you use only water, no matter how thoroughly you rinse your hands, the oil will remain on the surface, where it cannot be easily washed away.

With soap, everything changes drastically. Different molecular groups in soap perform various functions: one end is water-loving (hydrophilic), and the other is oil-loving (hydrophobic). The living component of a soap molecule bonds with the oil on the skin, which contains viruses, and the water-loving component allows water to wash the viruses away.

After all, this procedure requires you to physically rub your hands together and spend the appropriate amount of time.

It should be 20 seconds.

It's something you've probably heard, and length matters. Healthdirect states that good hand hygiene involves thorough washing for a period equivalent to singing the 'Happy Birthday' song twice (approximately 20 seconds). Soap molecules must remain on the skin long enough to penetrate dirt and oil films and remove them. If you reduce this, you do more harm than good by spreading pathogens.

For example, if you want to care for your skin, which is already sensitive to environmental elements and therefore you do not want to use harsh soaps that can dry it out, please refer to our Skin Hydration guide for tips on keeping your skin hydrated and healthy.

When and how should you wash your hands for maximum benefit?

One should not become overly zealous about handwashing but remain mindful and maintain high hand hygiene, especially during crucial moments, which are likened to a "firebreak" against infection. The Department of Health and Aged Care states that maintaining good hygiene remains the most potent single weapon in the fight against communicable diseases.

"Critical wash zones"

• Before: Eating, cooking or food preparation, or touching your face (especially eyes, nose, and mouth)
• After: using the toilet, sneezing, coughing, handling waste, or coming back home from public places such as a supermarket or using public transportation

Many people skip washing their hands after handling a restaurant menu before eating the bread. In the opinion of a GP, the menu is one of those items that people frequently touch and, therefore, is a potential source of contamination, but it is rarely disinfected.

People with stomach or digestive problems must pay more attention to hygiene. Find out more about it in our Gastrointestinal Health section.