Simple Hygiene - Tips for a clean everyday life

We all learned it as children - our parents repeatedly reminded us to wash our hands thoroughly. But since it is not only important for children to wash their hands properly, we have put together a little trip into the past for you and will show you exactly how hygiene works.

Every day, regardless of the activity, people are exposed to a variety of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other germs that can harm the body. It doesn't matter whether you blow your nose, go to the toilet, pet an animal or even prepare raw meat. Our smartphones, tablets and PCs are real bacteria slingers! Unfortunately, we touch our faces more often than we think. This means that pathogens and germs on our hands can get into the mucous membranes of our mouth, eyes or nose much more easily and thus penetrate the body. In the worst case, they can then cause an infection. This process can be easily interrupted by - surprise - simply washing your hands!

Wash your hands - protect your body!

As mentioned above, many pathogens enter our bodies through the mucous membranes on our faces and cause havoc there. Many infectious diseases, such as colds, flu or gastrointestinal infections, are very often transmitted via the hands. All you have to do is shake hands with a sick person or touch a door handle that has the pathogens on it - it's that quick! Washing your hands is a super simple, uncomplicated and effective way to prevent infectious diseases. Washing your hands reduces the number of germs on your hands by up to a thousandth! No wonder our parents used to annoy us so much with it, right?

This simple hygiene measure is particularly important in times of waves of illness, for example in autumn, winter and spring, because you automatically pass the germs on your hands on to those around you - including friends, work colleagues and family. Of course, nobody wants that. So the next time you wash your hands, just think about what you are doing for yourself and therefore for those around you!

Splish Splash:

Of course, you shouldn't just wash your hands when they're visibly dirty, but we probably don't need to tell you that anyway - you're not a little kid anymore, after all! ;) Anyway, it's very important to wash your hands regularly and thoroughly in everyday life. This is recommended, for example, when you come home, after using the toilet, after sneezing, coughing or blowing your nose and of course after contact with animals, animal waste or animal feed. Please also wash your hands before you eat or prepare food. To all women - to prevent blemishes etc., it can help to wash your hands before you put on make-up in the morning or take it off in the evening. In general, clean your hands before you touch anything that will then come into contact with your face or mouth, such as medication or cosmetics. And last but not least - wash your hands after contact with sick people or after treating wounds.

To summarize again briefly:

Always wash your hands before…

• The meals
• The use of medicines or cosmetics
• Applying or removing make-up

Always wash your hands before and after…

• Cooking
• The treatment of sick people and the treatment of wounds

Always wash your hands…

• After you come home
• After the toilet
• After sneezing, coughing, blowing your nose
• After contact with animals, animal feed or animal waste

But hand washing cannot be fully effective if you don't do it right. That's why we have the top 3 rules for your hand hygiene:

1. Take your time when washing your hands - washing your hands for at least 20 seconds reduces the number of germs enormously - and what are 20 seconds out of a long day?!
2. Wash your hands particularly thoroughly, especially between your fingers and around your fingernails and fingertips - this is where germs particularly like to settle!
3. Dry your hands thoroughly, because pathogens like it moist and warm!

A little tip: just listen to your favorite song while you do it and the time will fly by. This way, thorough hand washing is not only effective, but also fun and puts you in a good mood!
So now you've learned enough about washing your hands for today. But as we all know, you never stop learning, so we've put together a few tips for you on how to stay super hygienic in other everyday situations too!

You learned earlier that germs enter our bodies through the mucous membranes in our mouths. And where else could this play an important role? Of course, when we eat, and therefore also in the kitchen. Here are four simple rules for keeping your kitchen hygienic .

1. Cut vegetables, meat and fish with a separate knife and, if possible, on a separate board. This makes it more difficult for germs to spread to other foods. Wash your hands thoroughly in between.
2. Kitchen towels and dishwashing sponges can become real breeding grounds for bacteria if they are not washed regularly. So please change your kitchen towels at least once a week and wash them with hot water!
3. In general, you should cook animal products such as meat or fish thoroughly. A rule of thumb is at least 3 minutes at 90 degrees.
4. If you have kitchen utensils that are not dishwasher safe or you don't have a dishwasher, it is especially important to wash them with hot water. And by that I mean really hot - so hot that you can't stand it with your bare hands anymore, because then the germs on knives, boards, pans, etc. die. To avoid burning your fingers, it is advisable to wear thick cleaning gloves.

So, now you know how to keep your kitchen clean. Now let's move on to the next point - hygiene in the home . Here, too, we have summarized a few simple tips for you:

• Regular ventilation ensures fresh air. Firstly, this transports germs that are in the air in the room out. Secondly, fresh air strengthens the immune system and reduces the risk of infection. So get to the windows, get set, go!
• It is important to wash household textiles, bed linen and underwear regularly at a minimum of 60 degrees. It is also beneficial to use additional hygiene rinse or detergent containing bleach.
• Of course, regular and thorough cleaning is essential for good hygiene in the home. Hygiene areas such as the kitchen or bathroom are particularly important here. You don't need any special cleaners to clean your apartment - normal, regular cleaning products are perfectly sufficient. It is also essential for allergy sufferers to dust regularly.

Last but not least - another very important hygiene rule. These tips are particularly important for you and those around you. They are about good hygiene when coughing, blowing your nose and sneezing .

• Maybe you remember your grandparents' handkerchief, which was used over and over again every day. This may be sustainable, but it is a bacteriological disaster. Because new germs are added every time you use it. So make sure you use a disposable handkerchief to blow your nose!
• Please sneeze into the crook of your arm. If you sneeze into your hand and then greet other people, the germs will be transferred to the other person when you shake hands - and nobody wants that!
• If someone around you sneezes or coughs, it is advisable to turn away so as not to come into direct contact with the excreted pathogens.
• And again - surprise! Please wash your hands carefully after coughing or sneezing - this is how you protect yourself and those around you!

We hope that this blog post has given you a little refresher on the topic of hygiene in everyday life. With that in mind - take care of yourself and stay healthy!

Source:

https://www.infectionprotection.de/haendewaschen/