Handwashing and Everyday Habits to Prevent Colds

Why hands become a route for infection

Cold viruses can spread when you breathe in droplets from someone's cough or sneeze, but they also travel by hand. When a sick person touches a door handle, a grab rail, a lift button or a phone, and you touch the same spot and then rub your eyes or touch your nose or mouth, the virus gets in. People touch their faces unconsciously far more often than they realize. Keeping your hands clean reduces the chances not only of colds but of many other infections, including stomach bugs. Its biggest advantage is that it costs almost nothing and anyone can start right away.

How to wash properly

A quick rinse with water and a proper scrub with soap are very different. Soap lifts dirt off along with the oils on your skin, and the rubbing motion washes it away. Aim to scrub for at least 20 seconds after lathering, roughly the time it takes to hum the happy birthday song twice.

• Wet your hands under running water and apply plenty of soap
• Rub palms together, then rub the back of each hand with the other palm
• Interlace your fingers and rub between them
• Wrap each thumb in the other hand and rotate to clean it
• Rub your fingertips against the opposite palm, then wash up to the wrists
• Rinse under running water and dry with a clean towel or paper

When washing matters most

You cannot wash all day, so it is realistic to fix the moments when infection is most likely to pass on. Making a habit of washing first thing when you come home, before doing anything else, cuts the germs you bring indoors. Wash before preparing food and before eating, after using the toilet, and after blowing your nose or covering a cough or sneeze with your hand. After handling raw meat, fish or eggs, wash before touching other ingredients or dishes to prevent food poisoning. Caring for a sick family member, changing a nappy, touching pets and taking out the rubbish are also times to wash.

What to know about hand sanitizer

Where soap and water are not available, alcohol-based hand sanitizer is a good alternative. Choose one with enough alcohol, spread a generous amount over your whole hands, and rub until completely dry. Wiping it off quickly or touching things while your hands are still wet reduces its effect. Sanitizer is not a cure-all, though. It works poorly when hands are visibly soiled with dirt or grease, and it is known to be less effective against some viruses that cause stomach bugs. At home or wherever a sink is available, make soap and water your default. Store sanitizer out of reach of young children who might swallow it.

Habits to pair with clean hands

However well you wash, touching your face constantly undoes much of the benefit. Start by using a tissue instead of bare fingers when your eyes itch or your nose tickles. When you cough or sneeze, covering with a tissue or the inside of your elbow spreads less to others than using your palm. Your phone is handled as often as your hands, so wipe it now and then following the manufacturer's guidance. Protecting your basic health, by sleeping enough and not skipping meals, also helps you catch fewer colds.

Keep your hands from cracking

Frequent washing can leave hands dry and cracked. Cracked skin stings, and germs can get in through the small breaks, which defeats the purpose. Very hot water strips more of the skin's natural oils, so use lukewarm water and pat your hands dry rather than rubbing. Getting into the habit of applying moisturizer after washing reduces cracking. If you have eczema or dermatitis, ask a dermatologist about gentler cleansers.

Common mistakes

Handwashing seems obvious, yet many people miss whole areas. Fixing just a few of these mistakes gets your hands much cleaner in the same amount of time.

• Rubbing only the palms and missing the thumbs, nails and spaces between fingers
• Rinsing as soon as the soap starts to lather
• Drying freshly washed hands on a damp towel shared by many people
• Grabbing the tap and door handle again with clean hands in a public restroom
• Using too little sanitizer so it dries before covering your hands

When you catch a cold, and when to see a doctor

If you do catch a cold, rest is best both for recovery and for not passing it on. Wear a mask in crowded places and use your own towel and cup. Most colds clear up on their own with time, but see a doctor if a high fever lasts several days, you feel short of breath or have chest pain, or symptoms that were improving get worse again. Babies and young children, older adults, pregnant people and anyone with a long-term illness should talk to a medical professional sooner. This article is general prevention information and does not replace diagnosis or treatment.