Wash your hands! World Handwashing Day is October 15

Established by the Global Handwashing Partnership in 2008, World Handwashing Day is celebrated every year on October 15 to raise awareness and understanding of the benefits of handwashing with soap. World Handwashing Day is an opportunity to engage creatively to encourage people to wash their hands with soap during critical times.

Handwashing is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. Many germs that can make people sick spread by not washing their hands with soap and running water. Hand washing is especially important during key moments, such as after using the bathroom or before preparing meals.

Discover how hand washing can help eliminate germs and chemicals that fall on our hands every day.

Handwashing in communities

Washing your hands with soap is not only simple and inexpensive, it can also significantly reduce the number of young children who become ill. Teaching people how to wash their hands helps them and their communities stay healthy. Handwashing education in the community can:

• Reduce the number of people suffering from diarrhea from about 23 to 40%
• Reduce by about 58% the number of diarrheal diseases among people living with HIV
• Reduce respiratory diseases, such as colds, by approximately 16 to 21% in the general population