Hand washing study reveals that 97% of them are mistaken "CBS Boston

By Melissa Gray, CNN

(CNN) – Handwashing seems pretty simple, but a recent study shows that 97% of the time we always do it badly – which can lead to food contamination and

The study from the United States Department of Agriculture shows that most consumers have not been able to wash their hands and rub themselves with soap for 20 seconds. This is the recommended duration of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which says that washing for shorter periods means less germs.

Many participants also did not wipe their hands with a clean towel. The study involved 383 people in six experimental kitchen facilities in the Raleigh-Durham area of ​​North Carolina and in rural Smithfield, North Carolina, according to the USDA

. . About half of the time, participants spread bacteria to spice up the containers when burgers are made and, 11% of the time, they spread bacteria on the refrigerator handles.

"You can not see, smell or smell the bacteria. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Food Security at the USDA. "By simply washing your hands properly, you can protect your family and prevent bacteria from contaminating your food and key places in your kitchen."

The USDA study results indicate that our Hand washing habits could get worse. A 2013 Michigan State University study found that only 5% of people wash their hands properly.

So, what's the best way to wash your hands? The CDC has some tips, starting with an obvious step: wet your hands with clean, running water

Step 2: After wetting your hands with water , close the faucet and apply soap

Step 3: Wet hands rubbing with soap. Make sure to lather the back of the hands, between the fingers and under the fingernails

Step 4: Rub hands for at least 20 seconds. (Sing the song of the alphabet once or "Happy Birthday" twice.)

Step 5: Rinse your hands thoroughly under clean, running water.

Step 6: Dry your hands with a clean towel or air dried.

A separate study published this month found 49 of the 100 towels tested showed growth of bacteria normally found in or on the human body. This included E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus, often called "staphylococcus".

Bacteria were more likely to be found on wet towels and towels used for more than one use, such as wiping counters and utensils and drying. The hands, according to the study, conducted by researchers from the University of Mauritius.

Washing your hands properly is one of the easiest ways to prevent food-borne illnesses, which weigh 48 million Americans each year, according to CDC estimates . This results in approximately 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths.

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