爱华网Frequent hand washing is one of the best ways to avoid getting sick and spreading illness. Hand washing requires only soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer — a cleanser that doesn't require water. Find out when and how to wash your hands properly.勤洗手是避免生病和传播疾病的最好方法之一。洗手只需要肥皂和水或醇基洗手液（俗称“免水洗手液”）——一种不需要水的清洁剂。弄清楚什么时候和如何正确地洗手。
When to wash your hands什么时候该洗手
As you touch people, surfaces and objects throughout the day, you accumulate germs on your hands. In turn, you can infect yourself with these germs by touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Although it's impossible to keep your hands germ-free, washing your hands frequently can help limit the transfer of bacteria, viruses and other microbes.一天下来，你接触到人、台面和物品，你的手上积聚了很多细菌。接着，你的手碰到了你的眼睛、鼻子或嘴巴，你就有可能让自己感染到这些细菌。虽然不可能让你的手保持零细菌，但是勤洗手可以帮助你限制细菌、病毒和其它微生物的转移。
Always wash your hands before:在做以下事情之前记得洗手：
Preparing food ■ 准备食物
Eating ■ 吃东西
Treating wounds or giving medicine ■ 医治伤患或给予药物
Touching a sick or injured person ■ 接触病人或伤者
Inserting or removing contact lenses ■ 佩戴或脱下隐形眼镜
Always wash your hands after:做完以下事情之后记得洗手：
Preparing food, especially raw meat or poultry ■ 准备食物，特别是生肉或家禽
Using the toilet ■ 如厕
Changing a diaper ■ 换尿布
Touching an animal or animal toys, leashes or waste ■ 接触动物或动物的玩具、皮带或排泄物
Blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing into your hands ■ 擤鼻涕，咳嗽或打喷嚏到手里
Treating wounds ■ 医治伤患
Touching a sick or injured person ■ 接触病人或伤者
Handling garbage or something that could be contaminated, such as a cleaning cloth or soiled shoes ■ 拿过垃圾或者一些污染物，如一块抹布或弄脏了的鞋
Of course, it's also important to wash your hands whenever they look dirty.当然，无论何时，只要你的手看起来脏都应该去洗一下，这也是很重要的。
How to wash your hands如何清洁你的双手
It's generally best to wash your hands with soap and water. Follow these simple steps:大原则来说，最好就是用肥皂和水来清洗你的双手。跟随着以下几个简单步骤：
Wet your hands with running water. ■ 用自来水将手弄湿。
Apply liquid, bar or powder soap. ■ 抹上液态、块状或粉末状的肥皂。
Lather well. ■ 要均匀地抹上（不留一处空白）。
Rub your hands vigorously for at least 20 seconds. Remember to scrub all surfaces, including the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers and under your fingernails. ■ 用力摩擦双手至少20秒。记得要擦洗到所有表面，包括手背、手腕、手指间和你的指甲下面。
Rinse well. ■ 彻底冲洗掉手上的皂液。
Dry your hands with a clean or disposable towel or air dryer. ■ 用一块干净的或一次性的毛巾，又或者是风干机弄干你的双手。
If possible, use your towel to turn off the faucet. ■ 如果可以，用你的毛巾去关水龙头。
Keep in mind that antibacterial soap is no more effective at killing germs than is regular soap. Using antibacterial soap may even lead to the development of bacteria that are resistant to the product's antimicrobial agents — making it harder to kill these germs in the future.记住，抗菌肥皂在杀灭细菌方面并不比普通肥皂强效多少。使用抗菌肥皂甚至可能导致对该产品的抗菌剂有抵抗力的细菌产生——使得将来要杀灭这些细菌越来越难了。
How to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer如何使用醇基洗手液
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers — which don't require water — are an excellent alternative to soap and water. If you choose to use a commercially prepared hand sanitizer, make sure the product contains at least 60 percent alcohol. Then follow these simple steps:醇基洗手液——不需要水的——是肥皂和水的一个出色的替代品。在挑选商用预调配洗手液时，要确保该产品含有至少60%的酒精。然后跟随以下几个简单步骤：
Apply enough of the product to the palm of your hand to wet your hands completely. ■ 在你的掌心抹上足够的醇基洗手液，完全湿透你的双手。
Rub your hands together, covering all surfaces, for up to 25 seconds or until they're dry. ■ 双手摩擦，覆盖到每一个表面，持续25秒或直到双手干了。
If your hands are visibly dirty, however, wash with soap and water. Antimicrobial wipes or towelettes are another option, although they're not as effective as alcohol-based sanitizers.但是如果你的双手看起来脏，还是要用肥皂和水来清洗。抗菌纸巾或湿巾也是另一个选择，即使他们没有醇基洗手液那么有效。
Kids need clean hands, too小孩也要保持双手干净
Help your children stay healthy by encouraging them to wash their hands properly and frequently. Wash your hands with your children to show them how it's done. To prevent rushing, suggest washing their hands for as long as it takes to sing the "Happy Birthday" song twice. You might place hand-washing reminders at children's eye level, such as a chart by the bathroom sink for children to mark every time they wash their hands. If your children can't reach the sink on their own, keep a stepstool handy.通过鼓励你的小孩正确洗手和勤洗手来帮助他们保持身体健康。和你的小孩一起洗手展示给他们看该如何做。为了防止匆匆了事，建议用唱两遍“生日快乐”的时间来洗他们的手。你可以放一块洗手提示栏在孩子的视线水平，例如在浴室洗手盆旁边放一个图表记录孩子自己洗手的每一次。如果你的孩子自己够不着洗手盆，就进放一张踏步凳。
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are OK for children and adolescents, too, especially when soap and water isn't available. Make sure the sanitizer completely dries before your child touches anything. Store the container safely away after use.醇基洗手液对儿童和青少年来说也是可以的，特别是在没有肥皂和水的时候。要确保你的小孩去碰其它任何东西前手上的洗手液已经完全干了。用完后容器要安全地存放在小孩碰不到的地方。
Hand washing is especially important for children in child care settings. Young children cared for in groups outside the home are at greater risk of respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases, which can easily spread to family members and other contacts. Be sure your child care provider promotes frequent hand washing or use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Ask whether the children are required to wash their hands several times a day — not just before meals. Note, too, whether diapering areas are cleaned after each use and whether eating and diapering areas are well separated.洗手是儿童照管设置中对儿童特别重要的部分。在家以外的集体里照顾着的幼童得到呼吸疾病和胃肠疾病的风险更高，这些疾病还会比较容易地传播到家庭成员和其他接触到的人。要确保你的儿童照管服务提供者有推行勤洗手或使用醇基洗手液。要问一下你们的小孩是否一天多次被要求洗手——而不仅仅是吃饭前。同样要注意的是，换尿布的位置是否每次使用完后都有清洁，并且吃东西和换尿布的区域是否很好地分开。
A simple way to stay healthy保持健康的简单方法
Hand washing doesn't take much time or effort, but it offers great rewards in terms of preventing illness. Adopting this simple habit can play a major role in protecting your health.洗手不需要花费很多时间或者很大的力气，但是它在预防疾病方面提供了巨大的回报。采用这个简单的习惯可以在保护你的身体健康方面发挥重大作用。
