You are probably washing your hands, according to the study

Hand washing seems quite simple, but a recent study shows that 97% of the time we still do it badly – this can lead to contamination of food and surfaces and lead to foodborne illness.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, most consumers have failed to wash their hands and scrub with soap for 20 seconds. This is the duration recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which says that washing for shorter periods means less germs.

Many participants in the study 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, the participants spread bacteria to spice up the containers during the burgers' preparation and, 11% of the time, they spread bacteria on the handles of the refrigerators.

"You can not see, smell or smell 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 hands with water, turn off the tap and apply soap

together with the soap. Make sure to lather the backs of the hands, between the fingers and under the fingernails.

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

Step 5: Rinse your hands thoroughly under running water and clean

Step 6: Drain you hands with a clean towel or dry them. A separate study published this month found that 49 of the 100 towels tested showed growth of bacteria normally present 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 countertops and utensils and drying hands, according to the study, conducted by researchers from the University of Mauritius.

Proper hand washing 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.