Germs and the Power of Handwashing

Germs are tiny living things too small to see. Most are harmless and many are helpful, but some can make you sick. They ride on your hands, and hands touch everything: doors, toys, pets, and your own face.

Soap is the hero of this story. Germs have a fatty outer layer, and soap breaks that layer apart. Rubbing your soapy hands for twenty seconds - about the time it takes to sing the alphabet song - gives the soap time to work, and the water washes the broken germs away.

The best times to wash are before eating, after the bathroom, after playing outside, and after coughing or sneezing into your hands. It is a small habit that protects you and everyone around you.