In an age of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s definitely important to know the correct way to wash our hands, and by now you probably are washing your hands correctly. After all, we’ve all found ourselves singing “Happy Birthday” in the bathroom.

Sometimes, like when we go grocery shopping or run to the gas station, we need to clean our hands, but soap and water aren’t available. Hand sanitizer is the next best option, but unless you know the correct way to use hand sanitizer, it’s not going to protect you from coronavirus germs.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted a study about how to use hand sanitizer to get rid of coronavirus germs. The study revealed that many people are using hand sanitizer incorrectly. Watch the video below to learn the correct way to use hand sanitizer.

If you have access to soap and water, that is a better option than hand sanitizer, but if you use hand sanitizer correctly, it can be very effective. In short, here’s what you need to know:

• Make sure you’re using a hand sanitizer that is has an alcohol content of at least 70% or more.
• You need to rub the hand sanitizer into your hands for a full 30 seconds. Try singing “Happy Birthday” three times.
• Be sure to sanitize all parts of your hands just like you would when washing your hands. For example, don’t forget to rub the hand sanitizer between your fingers and on the back of your hands.

Have you been using hand sanitizer correctly? Does it surprise you that you need to rub hand sanitizer into your hands longer than you need to spend washing your hands with soap and water?