Overview

• UNICEF reports about 2.3 billion people lack basic handwashing facilities at home, and seven in ten schools in the least developed countries have no place to wash hands.
• WHO and UNICEF estimate poor hand hygiene is associated each year with nearly 400,000 diarrheal deaths and more than 350,000 deaths from acute respiratory infections.
• Experts stress soap and water as the preferred method for effective cleaning, with alcohol gel serving as a practical option only when water and soap are unavailable.
• Recommended washing times differ, with guidance ranging from 20–30 seconds to 40–60 seconds, while emphasizing friction and coverage of palms, dorsum, fingers, nails, thumbs and wrists.
• In Argentina, a TrialPanel survey finds 42% of respondents wash their hands more than eight times a day, mostly after bathroom use or returning from the street.