How to Know Where Germs Hide & When to Perform Hand Hygiene

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PURELL® Brand K-12 Well-Being Center: Hand Hygiene

Know Where Germs Hide & When to Perform Hand Hygiene

Washing and sanitizing hands is the first line of defense against germs that can make students sick. But knowing where germs like to hang out is also important. When students are aware of which objects can hold the most germs, they’ll have a better understanding of when they need to wash their hands.

Reducing germs in the classroom starts with good hand hygiene. Get the best practices for locating germy areas and when students should wash and sanitize their hands.

Find the Hot Spots & Reinforce Good Habits

Awareness is key to a good hand hygiene program, and if students and staff are aware of hot spots – or commonly touched areas where germs can gather – you can start to implement hand hygiene protocols in those areas. Encouraging students to wash and/or sanitize after touching these items and placing soap or sanitizer in these areas can help you reduce illness-causing germs throughout your school.

These hot spots include:

Cafeteria tables
Computers, keyboards, tablets, and other electronics
Desks
Handrails
Door handles
Gym equipment
Faucets
Drinking fountains

Even if your district has implemented social distancing and limited sharing of school supplies and equipment, it’s still essential for students to understand how hand hygiene affects the way germs can be transmitted. Students should be reminded to perform hand hygiene often throughout the day, and especially at these critical times:

Before eating
After using the restroom
After contact with another student
After blowing their nose, coughing, or sneezing
After touching garbage

Back to Hand Hygiene