Gregory Poland, M.D.: So you wash your hands while singing happy birthday to yourself, you get between the fingers, the fingertips, the thumb, you turn the water off with a paper towel, and you open the door to leave with a paper towel and dispose of the paper towel. That's how you wash your hands — ideally, with warm, soapy water. Dry, irritated, raw skin from frequent handwashing can raise the risk of infections. Damage to your skin can change the skin flora. This, in turn, can make it easier for germs to live on your hands. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/antibacterial-soap-you-can-skip-it-use-plain-soap-and-water White S, et al. (2020). The determinants of handwashing behaviour in domestic settings: An integrative systematic review. DOI: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced recalls of several hand sanitizers due to the potential presence of methanol.

Also, there’s no evidence to suggest that the water temperature makes a difference. According to one study, washing your hands in warm water doesn’t seem to get rid of more germs.

Methanol is a toxic alcohol that can have adverse effects, such as nausea, vomiting, or headache, when a significant amount is used on the skin. More serious effects, such as blindness, seizures, or damage to the nervous system, can occur if methanol is ingested. Drinking hand sanitizer containing methanol, either accidentally or purposely, can be fatal. See here for more information on how to spot safe hand sanitizers. Washing your hands is particularly important when you’re in situations where you’re more likely to acquire or transmit germs. This includes: Gregory Poland, M.D., Vaccine Research Group Mayo Clinic: Bathroom faucets, door handles, escalator rails, computer terminals, anything that is commonly touched by the public.

When handwashing isn’t feasible or your hands aren’t visibly soiled, disinfecting your hands with alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be a viable option. Ian Roth: Children often are taught at a young age to wash their hands — before eating and after using the restroom. It's an easy and effective way to stay healthy and avoid spreading disease.

Hand-washing: Do's and don'ts

Rub vigorously, making sure to rub the product all over the surfaces of both your hands and between your fingers. Gregory Poland, M.D.: First, keep your hands out of your eyes, nose and mouth. Second is either wash your hands with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer. A 2017 study also found that alcohol-based hand sanitizer formulations with ethanol, isopropanol, or both were effective at killing viral pathogens, such as: In 2017, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the use of the antibacterial agents triclosan and triclocarban. The reasons cited by the FDA for the ban of these agents included: