Hand Washing

When to Wash your Hands

• Always before you eat
• Always after you use the bathroom
• Before, during, and after food preparation
• After handling animals or animal waste
• When your hands are dirty
• More frequently when someone in your home is sick

Taking a few seconds to wash your hands will prevent you from being sick and can save time and money later at the doctor’s office.

• Each year, Americans are sick more than 4 billion days. (CDC)
• Americans spend more than $950 billion on direct medical costs. (CDC)
• Nearly 22million school days are lost annually due to the common cold alone. (CDC, 1996)