How Long Should You Wash Your Hands To Kill Germs?

You know the basics: Use soap and water, and scrub for the length of the "Happy Birthday" song as you wash your hands. Those simple steps help the common cold, flu, and some other icky illnesses.

This one is confirmed only once in the world. And even if you do, believing these misconceptions may leave you with germs on your hands. If you think about it, you know how to do it.

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"That's cold, 80 ° F (pretty comfortably warm), or 100 ° F," says microbiologist Donald Schaffner, PhD, professor of food science at Rutgers University. If you can tolerate hot water for only a few seconds, it's completely OK to switch to a temperature so you can keep your hands in the H2O longer-it's the time they spend under the faucet that really matters, says Schaffner. How long should you wash your hands? His lab tested was of different lengths and found that 20 seconds was more effective than five seconds, so go for at least 20.

Final answer: false

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If your hands are visibly dirty, old-school soap and water is the way to go, because the action of rubbing and rinsing dislodges bacteria and viruses. He says, "We're talking about the problem," says David Berendes, PhD, MSPH, epidemiologist with the Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch of the CDC.

But if soap and water are not available and your hands are not filthy, does your hand sanitizer work? Yes, an alcohol-based sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol can do the trick in a pinch. Cover all surfaces of your hands, and keep them rubbing until they're dry (do not wipe it off). We like these travel-sized bottles of Purell so you can take it with you on the go.

Final answer: True, but this is not useless.

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Quickly sticking your hands under the tap removes a lot of bacteria-maybe as much as 90 percent. But even so, it's a good thing that you can be sure that it's pretty germinating, that you're going to be infected with millions of pathogens and even one microorganism can cause illness .

Final answer: false

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That soft, gooey bar soap may look like it's hosting a germ field day. Yet one more cited (albeit industry-sponsored) study found that when researchers implanted germs in softened bar soaps, none of those germs clung to hands after washing. The CDC says it does not matter if you use liquid soap or soap in the air. Overall, any soap is better than none.

Final answer: false

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A recent study from the United States of America. The dryers stir up the bacteria already in the bathroom, depositing some of it on once-clean mitts. But do not freak out: Although people undergoing cancer treatment and the elderly need to be careful, "says Thomas Murray, MD, PhD. Division of Infectious Disease and Immunology at Connecticut Children's Medical Center. Bottom line? If there's a towel option, that's a good first choice.

Final answer: true