Handwashing Is Key To Staying Healthy For The Holidays

MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Washing hands is a simple and easy way to avoid getting sick or passing viruses and bacteria to others. But many of us are not doing it right or as often as we should.

"We want to wash for about 20 seconds or so, but that's not from start to finish. It's 20 seconds of actually having the soap and lather on your hands and making sure that lather gets all over place - under your finger nails, in between the fingers themselves," says Dr. Frank Esper, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the Cleveland Clinic.

While soap and water is usually better, Dr. Esper says alcohol-based hand sanitzers are a good option, but look for products that contain at least 60% alcohol. Rub the gel all over until hands are dry - that should also take about 20 seconds.

"A lot of kids - especially the smaller children - they're really not able to use soap and water as well as older children and adults,, says Dr. Esper. "And so for the smallest children, those who are in preschool or who those are just learning themselves, actually using an alcohol-based rub has been shown to be better than soap and water."

Washing your hands before, during, and after preparing food is critical. You should also always wash your hands before you eat. It's also important to wash your hands after using the bathroom, before and after caring for someone who is sick, and after blowing your own nose, coughing, or sneezing.

"If you're sick yourself that means not only is your nose running but that means those germs are also on your fingers and on your hands, and so you should be washing your hands even more so," Dr. Esper says.

Research shows the temperature of the water you wash your hands with doesn't really matter. It's also important to moisturize your hands if you are doing a lot of hand-washing to prevent chapped, dry skin, especially in the winter months.

These hand-washing tips will help you and your loved ones spread holiday cheer this season - not germs.