Washing Hands with Soap, a Simple Habit That Protects Your Family
November 5, 2026 · 2 min read
Washing hands with soap can cut diarrhoea and respiratory infections. Here are the most important times to wash your hands and the five steps from the CDC.
Washing hands sounds so simple that it is often taken lightly. Yet this small habit is one of the cheapest ways to prevent infections at home.
How much it helps
According to the CDC, handwashing education in the community:
- Cuts cases of diarrhoea by 23 to 40 percent.
- Cuts diarrhoea in people with weakened immune systems by 58 percent.
- Cuts respiratory illnesses such as colds by 16 to 21 percent.
- Cuts school absence caused by stomach illness by 29 to 57 percent.
The CDC also says handwashing with soap could protect about 1 in 3 young children who get sick with diarrhoea, and almost 1 in 5 young children with respiratory infections such as pneumonia.
When to wash your hands
The CDC lists the key times:
- Before, during, and after preparing food.
- Before and after eating.
- Before and after caring for someone at home who is vomiting or has diarrhoea.
- Before and after treating a cut or wound.
- After using the toilet.
- After changing nappies or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet.
- After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste.
- After touching rubbish.
The five steps
- Wet your hands with clean running water, turn off the tap, and apply soap.
- Lather your hands, including the backs, between the fingers, and under the nails.
- Scrub for at least 20 seconds.
- Rinse well under clean running water.
- Dry with a clean towel or an air dryer.
When there is no soap and water
Use an alcohol based hand sanitiser that contains at least 60 percent alcohol. Check the alcohol content on the label. As soon as soap and water are available, wash your hands as usual.
Bring the children along
Wash hands together with your children, especially before meals and after the toilet, until it becomes an everyday habit.
If you have questions about choosing a soap or hand sanitiser, a Coapotek pharmacist is happy to help.
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Handwashing, 16 February 2024.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Handwashing Facts, 17 April 2024.