New products like
antibacterial soap and hand sanitizers clamor for our attention, but
plain old soap and water is still a good way to clean your hands,
reports the January 2007 issue of the Harvard Health
Letter.
In studies, washing hands with soap and water
for 15 seconds (about the time it takes to sing one chorus of "Happy
Birthday to You") reduces bacterial counts by about 90 percent.
But even people who are conscientious about washing their hands
often make the mistake of not drying them properly. Wet hands are
more likely to spread germs than dry ones.
Today,
almost half of the hand soaps on the market have an antibacterial
additive. The big question has been whether use of antibacterial
soaps will worsen the problem of antibiotic resistance, says Dr. Jane
Siegel, an infectious diseases expert on the medical staff at
Children's Medical Center Dallas.
"Even if
antibiotic resistance weren't an issue, results from studies suggest
that antibacterial soaps available to consumers don't add much to
hand hygiene," says Dr. Siegel, who also is a professor of
Pediatrics at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. "The
findings are a useful reminder that antibacterial soaps aren't the
all-purpose germ fighters that many people think they
are."
The hot new products in hand hygiene are alcohol-based
rubs, sold as hand sanitizers. The big advantage of these cleansers
is that you don't need water or a towel, so you can use them
anywhere. But alcohol doesn't kill everything. That's why it shouldn't
be the only cleaner available in healthcare settings, Dr. Siegel
says.
"To be effective, the rubs need to come into
contact with all surfaces of your hands," she says. "For that
reason, studies have shown that using small amounts is really no better
than washing with plain soap and water."
The Harvard Health Letter suggests these steps to make sure
you clean your hands thoroughly, whether you're using soap and water
or a hand sanitizer:
1. Spread cleaner over
hands.
2. Clean backs.
3. Clean fingertips.
4. Clean
fingernails.
5. Clean thumbs.
6. Clean between
fingers.
