By Dawn Yeomans, Ph.D.
Hygiene Sciences & Partnerships Senior Advisor, GOJO Industries

Keeping hands clean is one of the best ways to reduce germs that may cause illness in all settings, but particularly for schools. When germs such as those that cause flu, stomach bugs, and the common cold get onto hands and are not removed, they can be transmitted from person to person, causing outbreaks of infections. Germs from contaminated hands can also be transferred to surfaces and other objects, thus spreading the infection further. As germy settings, schools need the right tools, products, and guidance to promote effective and consistent hand hygiene practices among students and staff.

If performed properly, washing hands with soap and water is one of the most effective things you can do to reduce germs on hands that may cause illness. Here are a few facts and tips on how to achieve the best germ removal with soap and water:

• Wash hands with soap and water to effectively remove all kinds of soils and common germs, particularly when hands are visibly dirty or greasy.
• Soap is more effective than using water alone because the detergents in soap help lift and remove soils and germs from skin. 
• Students and staff are more likely to scrub hands thoroughly when using soap, compared to water alone, which further helps to remove germs. 
• Lathering is important, since lathering and scrubbing hands creates friction to lift dirt, grease, and germs from skin.
• Remember that germs are present on all surfaces of the hand, often in particularly high concentration under the nails, so the entire hand should be scrubbed thoroughly.
• It’s important to scrub hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to remove illness-causing germs. If hands are washed for a shorter time, you will not remove as many germs, leaving yourself and others vulnerable to infections.
• Reinforce effective handwashing behaviors with reminders and signs.
• Avoid adding soap to partially empty dispensers (e.g. refilling bulk dispensers). The practice of topping off might lead to bacterial contamination. 1

How can I make sure students and staff are washing their hands properly?

The bad news is that there is no easy way to be certain, in the moment, that illness-causing germs are being removed every time a student or staff washes their hands. Twenty seconds is a long time, and researchers have shown that only 5% of people who used the bathroom washed their hands long enough to remove germs that can cause infections. ² Knowing this, are we really confident that illness-causing germs are being removed from hands at each wash?

Complement handwashing with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer for occasions where you need increased germ protection confidence. Whenever you want to achieve high levels of germ removal every time hand hygiene is performed, consider washing hands with soap and water, and then using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer as a second step. Some alcohol-based hand sanitizers, like PURELL®, not only kill up to 99.99% of bacteria that could cause illness, but also are mild to skin, won’t dry hands out, and are pleasing to use, making students and staff more likely to use them. Consider the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer in addition to soap and water for occasions where hands could be exposed to germs that may cause illness, such as:

• After restroom use
• During food handling and consumption
• During an ongoing outbreak of illness

For additional information and resources, visit the PURELL® Brand Well-Being Center.

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hand hygiene in healthcare settings. https://www.cdc.gov/handhygiene/providers/index.html. Accessed June 14, 2021.

2. Borchgrevink CP, Cha J, Kim S. Hand washing practices in a college town environment. J Environ Health 2013;75(8):18-24.