Ever since you were a little kid, your parents have been
telling you to wash your hands regularly. Growing up, you were told to wash
your hands before you eat and after you use the bathroom.
When you started working, these habits remained important.
But did you know that handwashing actually has several different types?
Read on below to know about these different ways of washing
your hands.
Antiseptic Handwashing
Considered a more stringent handwashing procedure,
antiseptic handwashing is used for destroying microorganisms on the skin
surface. This can also reduce resident viruses or bacteria that often live or
thrive on the surface.
This procedure is often done before coming into close
contact with another person in a healthcare or medical setting. Antiseptic
handwashing is often used in the foodservice industry. Aside from hot water,
the skin surface is also cleaned using antiseptic agents such as iodine and
chlorhexidine.
Social Handwashing
The purpose of social handwashing is to remove physical
debris and dirt from the hands and fight off infectious diseases and bacterial
growth. This can also free the skin surface from transient microorganisms.
Social handwashing is a crucial procedure for infection
control and is also considered a social norm meant to prevent dangerous
pathogens from spreading to other people.
It is a form of handwashing that you need to do before you
eat, after you use the bathroom, and every time you have physical contact with
other people. Antibacterial soap and warm water are necessary for social
handwashing.
You need to scrub your wet hands for 30 seconds using
circular motions to ensure a thorough cleaning. Dry your hands afterward using
a clean towel or paper towel.
Surgical Handwashing
The most stringent form of handwashing, surgical handwashing
is the cleaning procedure used before sterile operations such as surgical
procedures. It is a type of handwashing that gets rid of resident
microorganisms living on the skin surface together with transient
microorganisms.
Surgical gloves are worn right after this handwashing
process to stop microorganisms from going back to the skin surface. The hands,
forearms, and elbows are scrubbed during surgical handwashing. Sensors are used
to operate water rather than physical contact. The skin is washed using an
antiseptic detergent for a full minute before it is rinsed thoroughly.
The skin is dried using sterile towels to ensure that the
medical procedures will be done properly while making sure that the medical
devices and the patient stay safe from cross-infection or cross-contamination
of any form.
If you want to keep your office or business as sanitary and
clean as possible, it is important to hire the best commercial cleaning company
like Courtesy Building Services Inc.
The team of professional office cleaners will follow the
right handwashing procedures to protect the safety and cleanliness of every
nook and corner of your premises.
This gives you peace of mind knowing that your office or
business establishment is always in good hands. By trusting the experts, you
can expect nothing but the best commercial cleaning services.