National Handwashing Awareness Week: Simple Steps That Help Keep You Healthy

The first full week of December is National Handwashing Awareness Week. It is a reminder that one of the easiest ways to protect your health is something you already do every day. Clean hands help prevent many common illnesses and keep you and the people around you a little safer throughout the year.

Why Handwashing Matters

Germs spread easily through the surfaces we touch and the daily routines we move through. Washing your hands with soap and water is one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of infections such as colds, the flu, and stomach illnesses.

For older adults, people living with chronic conditions, and caregivers, good handwashing habits can make a meaningful difference in staying healthy. It is a simple daily action that helps everyone in the home.

What Handwashing Helps Prevent

Clean hands protect your health in important ways:

• They help prevent many common infections, including some that cause diarrhea or respiratory illness.
• Washing your hands reduces the need for antibiotics, which helps protect their effectiveness.
• Many people do not wash their hands often enough. Washing regularly provides an extra layer of protection.
• Germs spread quickly when someone coughs or sneezes. Clean hands help keep those germs away from your eyes, nose, and mouth.

These small steps remind us that everyday habits can support better health.

How to Wash Your Hands

The best way to clean your hands is to wash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend five simple steps: Wet. Lather. Scrub. Rinse. Dry.

When scrubbing, make sure to clean:

• The backs of your hands
• Between your fingers
• Under your nails

If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol until you can wash properly.

When to Wash Your Hands

Try to wash your hands:

• Before eating or preparing food
• After using the restroom
• After coughing or sneezing
• After caring for someone who is sick
• After touching shared surfaces in public
• After handling pets or pet waste

These simple steps help protect both you and those around you.

We Are Here to Support You

Staying healthy often starts with small habits that lower the chances of getting sick. Handwashing is one of the easiest and most effective tools you have. At Arkos Health, we support members and caregivers with resources that make everyday health routines easier and more manageable.

If you have questions about staying healthy at home or need help connecting to care, Arkos Health is here to help.