Alcohol-Based Handrubs: Easy as 1, 2, 3
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Alcohol-based handrub
Keep your hands clean!
- Use an alcohol-based handrub when your hands are not visibly soiled.
- Wash your hands with soap and water when your hands are visibly soiled.
Alcohol-based handrubs provide several advantages over hand washing with soap and water:
- require less time than hand washing
- act quickly to kill microorganisms on hands
- more effective than hand washing with soap and water
- more accessible than sinks
- reduce bacterial counts on hands
- do not promote antimicrobial resistance
- less irritating to skin than soap and water
- can even improve condition of skin
How do you use it?
It is as easy as 1, 2, 3...
When decontaminating hands with an alcohol-based handrub use an amount of alcohol-based handrub sufficient to cover all surfaces of hands.
- Apply handrub to palm of one hand.
- Rub hands together covering all surfaces of hands and fingers.
- Rub until handrub is absorbed.
“Hand Washing is the single most important means of preventing the spread of infection”
Spotlight
Hand Hygiene Print Materials
Signs, posters, brochures, manuals, curricula, and other hand hygiene materials that you can print and use.
Don't Forget to Wash Poster
This simple poster (available in two color options) shows six simple steps to washing hands.
Note:If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer. Wash your hands with soap and water when your hands are visibly soiled.
Food handlers in restaurants, schools, delis and grocery stores must wash their hands with soap and water before applying hand sanitizers. [Minn Rules Chap. 4626.0070 - 4626.0085] See Hand Hygiene for Food Handlers for more information.
Contact us:
If you have questions or comments about this page, use our IDEPC Comment Form or call 651-201-5414 for the MDH Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control Division.
