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If you’re like most people, you’ve proba-

bly heard this more than once: “Wash

your hands—and use lots of soap and hot

water!”

As it turns out, the temperature of the

water has little or no effect on a good scrub’s

germ-fighting abilities. “If the water you use is

hot enough to actually kill germs, it will burn

you,” says Dr. Lamont Sweet, Chief Health

Officer for the Canadian province of Prince

Edward Island. “The purpose of hand washing

is to rinse germs away. For that, you need lots

of soap and lots of water. The temperature of

the water is more a matter of comfort.” Warm

water tends to make soap lather better and feels

better, he says, but cold water will do the job.

Washing your hands properly is one very

simple way to keep yourself healthy. In fact,

according to Sweet, it is one of the most

effective ways to avoid colds, influenza,

and gastrointestinal disorders. “But,” he

says, “you have to do it right.” He recom-

mends this method:

Allow two minutes. Put effort into scrubbing

not only palms and fingers, but also the backs

of hands and the skin between fingers, which

are places where germs can continue to reside.

Sweet specifically advises a good

cleansing . . .

■ before and after your hands are near

your face

■ before eating and cooking, and, if you

smoke, before lighting up

■ after using the bathroom, changing di-

apers, blowing your nose or sneezing

into a hand, handling any kind of meat

or garbage, and touching animals or

cleaning up after them

So, be good to yourself and every-

one around you—wash your hands!

The U.S. Standard

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention recommends a vigorous 20-