<font color=skyblue>For an argumentive paper I have to write for Spanish 315, I am talking about Handwashing.
I need a poll from you guys to see what you all think.

<font color=lightgreen>For how long should one wash one's hands to clean them? </font>

The question assumes that soap of some type will be used.

I will release the correct answer after the poll has concluded.</font>

[ 03-30-2005, 08:34 AM: Message edited by: Larry_OHF ]

i heard one should sing a short song, like "twinkle twinkle little star" or "happy birthday to you", while washing your hands. i also feel more comfy with about 60 seconds, just cause the antibacterial stuff really needs time to work. altho if you're in a restroom the next thing you touch will prolly have more germs than your own rear end.

Until they are clean?

I mean doesn't it depend on how dirty your hands are?

Ha! My mouth has more bacteria than my hands will ever have. I just wash away the trash covering them. Like sand or sawdust or something.

Well, if they are greasey (like from engine grease) then it's a while, but if they are dusty or sweaty then 10 seconds will do, even without soap

From tests we did in the lab, it depends on whether you are using hot or cold water, soap or not, and whether you're bothered about friendly bacteria.

1) Cold water and no soap: fairly large amount of bacteria remain on the skin, many unfriendly ones left.

2.) Cold water and soap: Fewer bacteria remain as the soap kills many of them off.

3.) Warm water and soap: Loads of bacteria left on the skin, as warm water opens the skin's pores and lets them out. However, the soap has killed most of the unfriendly bacteria first and the ones coming out of the pores are largely friendly (help keep your skin healthy).

4.) Warm water and no soap: Masses of bacteria on your skin and the warm water makes all the bacteria grow like crazy - including the unfriendly ones. May be worse that not washing hands in some cases. (However, if there's something icky on your skin then always best to wash.)

Oh.. and unless you've got an infection or something, pee is completely sterile - you could be doing yourself wrong by washing your hands. But spreading pee around to go stale and host/feed bacteria later won't make you many friends when they get sick.. so still wash (unless you're true or chaotic evil)!

as to why i don't freak out about making sure my kids don't pee in their bath. i've read (on my baby boards) from some mothers who go to great lengths to prevent it.

[ 03-30-2005, 09:26 AM: Message edited by: RevRuby ]

I think that people overeact about germs. You want to keep the good ones. You should wash your hands but not to the point of making them raw from it.

I've always heard the Twinkle twinkle little star thing. That's probably about 30 sec's though.

I taught my kids to lather their hands up and sing the alphabet while they are rubbing them together. Then when they are done with the alphabet they can rinse the soap off. So, for that reason I voted 30 seconds. :0) Oh, and I don't think antibacterial soap is good. We never use it.

~Salinye

[ 03-30-2005, 10:16 PM: Message edited by: Salinye ]