Swine Flu - Good Hand Washing Helps Prevent Spreading Swine Flu

Good hand washing techniques are essential to reduce the risk of swine flu and other influenzas and prevent the spreading of the flu.

Antibacterial soaps have become very popular in the last few years, however, they are no more effective in killing germs and preventing swine flu than regular soap. Studies have shown using antibacterial soaps may lead to the development of bacteria that are resistant to the product's antimicrobial agents, which would make it more difficult to kill the bacteria in the future. Regular soap is effective, and liquid soap is preferable to bar soap since the bars can harbor a lot of bacteria.

Good and effective hand washing needs to be done frequently to prevent not only flu but food-related sickness and other illnesses. The simple steps are as follows:

1. Wet your hands with warm, running water and apply the soap, then lather well.

2. Rub your hands vigorously together for 20 seconds.

3. Include the backs of your hands, and wrists, between your fingers, and under your fingernails.

4. Rinse all soap off well.

5. After drying your hands use a towel to turn the tap off. The tap will have bacteria which is why you want to avoid touching it.

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are an effective alternative to hand washing, particularly when soap and water aren't available. They are very effective in killing bacteria and viruses that cause swine flu and other illnesses.

Hand sanitizers contain ingredients to prevent the skin from drying so if you are having to wash often you may find this a better alternative. It's important to only use hand sanitizers that contain alcohol which destroys the bacteria.