Hand Washing

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and leading public health officials, simple hand washing is the single most important method of preventing the spread of infection.

Hand washing is so basic and routine in our lives that it's often taken for granted. However, children in particular need proper instruction in order to learn how to wash their hands effectively. As a general rule, it takes a consistent and vigorous washing to remove the germs on our hands.

The quantity and variety of germs that we carry on our hands everyday is astounding. When we forget to wash our hands, or don't wash our hands correctly, we can spread these germs to other people.

Washing your hands correctly and frequently is the first step toward staying healthy and can help us avoid spreading and receiving germs. Health Department hand washing programs are designed to educate our community about the benefits of proper hand washing.

The following sections are designed to provide you with the hand washing information that you need.

Hand Washing Resources
Check here for other great hand washing links and related resources.

Operation Suds Program
Learn more about our program to help educators teach children about the need for hand washing.

Proper Hand Washing
Do you know the 6 important hand washing steps? Visit this section to learn more.

Super Scrub and Bubbles Activity Book
Meet the cartoon characters Super Scrub and Bubbles. Their activity book is packed with fun hand washing related activities designed specifically for kids.