Experiments show that you are washing your hands extremely 'dirty'

Everyone has to wash their hands, but are you sure you know how to clean your hands?

Experiments show that we are washing our hands very dirty

To check the amount of bacteria remaining on the skin after we wash our hands - we will use Glo Germ - a cream that simulates bacteria on the skin. This cream is often used by nurses to practice hygiene.

When not washing hands.

This cream, when applied to the hands, is transparent, but emits white light under UV light. The whiteer the picture means that more bacteria still remain on the skin.

Wash through the speaker and dry

When in a hurry or without soap, many people have a habit of washing their hands with water, almost 'dipping' their hands in water for a few seconds and then drying them.

However, as you have seen, this way of washing is completely ineffective. Only a small number of bacteria stay in the fingers washed away, while most of the back of the hand still has a lot of bacteria.

According to Dr. Lisa Ackerley - leading epidemiologist at Salford University (UK): ' Washing hands is never enough . We need to wash our hands properly, especially after using the toilet '.

Dr. Val Curtis, an epidemiologist and public health expert in London, said many of us are 'fecal bacteria' - the bacteria in human feces - that reside in our hands . In the UK, this figure is 28%.

According to Dr. Curtis: ' People often refuse to wash their hands in dirty toilets, or wash very loudly because of the fear of infection if they stay long. However, this is exactly where you need to wash your hands'.

Wash your hands for 6 seconds but don't use soap

According to scientists, 6 seconds is the average time we often wash our hands.

But according to this experiment, you can clearly see that there is still a large amount of bacteria on your hands, although this is more effective than the above-mentioned washing-up when the bacteria in your palm have been washed away.

According to Dr. Ackerley, if you're in a hurry, wash your hands quickly, at least make sure to dry your hands after washing.

Ackerley said: 'Hand drying is very important. If you don't wash your hands well, the hand drying process will help you eliminate most of the bacteria. Also, bacteria spread more easily if your hands are wet '.

She added: 'Microorganisms like norovirus - a type of intestinal virus - can live for a long time on hard surfaces like doorknobs. So putting your hands wet after washing your hands means you indirectly spread the virus to others. '

Wash hands for 6 seconds with soap

According to Dr. Curtis, the most important thing when washing your hands is using soap: 'Using soap is highly effective. The soap has a high adhesion property, so the bacteria will follow it away '.

As seen, washing hands with soap in just 6 seconds washed away most bacteria. However, the area of ​​wrists, fingers and interstitial nails is still quite a lot of bacteria.

Dr. Ackerley explains: 'These are areas that are often overlooked when washing hands. This is quite dangerous, especially for people with nail biting habits. '

Wash your hands for 15 seconds with soap

Experts all over the world recommend that we wash our hands for at least 15 seconds. However, most people find it hard to have the patience to do this.

According to a study by the University of Michigan (USA), only 5% of respondents said they washed their hands for 15 seconds or more.

In the above image, we can clearly see the effect of this process, when most bacteria have been removed, even the bacteria on the wrist. Only a small amount of bacteria remains in the interstitial area.

Dr. Ackerley said: '15 seconds is a sufficient time for us to wash our hands'.

Wash your hands for 30 seconds with soap

15 seconds gave great results, but what about longer washing?

Washing hands for 30 seconds seems nothing more than 15 seconds. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15 seconds of hand washing is just enough time to wash away most bacteria. So even if you wash your hands longer, the results will not be too different.