Best methods for hand-washing and drying

The U,.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has devised a quite a detailed set of instructions for health care professionals on hand-washing and drying. It's worth considering for the general public, too:

Hand-washing is defined as the vigorous, brief rubbing together of all surfaces of lathered hands, followed by rinsing under a stream of water.  Hand-washing suspends microorganisms and mechanically removes them by rinsing with water.  The fundamental principle of hand-washing is removal, not killing. 

The amount of time spent washing hands is important to reduce the transmission of pathogens to other food, water, other people and inanimate objects (fomites), such as door knobs, hand railings and other frequently touched surfaces.  Proper hand hygiene involves the use of soap and warm, running water, rubbing hands vigorously for at least 20 seconds.  The use of a nail brush is not necessary or desired, but close attention should be paid to the nail areas, as well as the area between the fingers.

Wet hands have been known to transfer pathogens much more readily than dry hands or hands not washed at all. The residual moisture determines the level of bacterial and viral transfer following hand-washing.  Careful hand drying is a critical factor for bacterial transfer to skin, food and environmental surfaces.

The drying times required to reduce the transfer of these pathogens varies with drying methods.  Repeated drying of hands with reusable cloth towels is not recommended and should be avoided.  Recommended hand drying methods and drying times are outlined below: