How to wash your hands

Washing your hands can help protect you against germs and illnesses. This video reminds us how to wash our hands effectively.

Do the preparation task first. Then watch the video and do the exercises. Remember you can read the transcript at any time.

Preparation

Video zone: How to wash your hands – preparation

As you know, flu season is upon us. You're coming in contact with the flu virus and many other germs. They're on shopping carts, door handles, even around your house. You may not even realise how many times you're touching your nose, your mouth, your eyes, and you're going to get sick from it.

The best way to prevent this is to wash your hands with a good old-fashioned bar of soap. The first thing you want to do – turn on the water to a warm temperature, get a good lather going in your hands. Be sure to wash the palms of your hands. Take that, wash the back sides as well. Try to focus on getting your thumbs nice and clean and soapy, and in between your fingers. And, if you can, make sure you wash the tips as well.

When you're all done, rinse off your hands, take a paper towel, dry off, use the paper towel to turn off the water.

The best length of time to wash your hands is 20 seconds. If you want something a little more fun, you can hum 'Happy Birthday' in your head two times, and you'll be just great.

Protect yourself, protect your family this season against all the germs and viruses that are out there.

Clean hands for a healthy life.

Task 1

Video zone: How to wash your hands – 1

Task 2

Video zone: How to wash your hands – 2

Discussion

Did you learn anything new from the video?

Download

Worksheet77.8 KB

Language level

Intermediate: B1

Yes, this is the most effective way to prevent getting coronavirus.

Indeed! Quite surprised to learn that to perform an effective handwash you need an old-fashioned bar soap. Has this been scientifically proven?

Actually, I have been looking into this some months ago. And yes, it has been proven. I think I can find the info again, I cannot remember if it was in The Lancet. But for now I found this short article in New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/10/science/10qna.html

In fact, in my country we are cleaning our hands exactly like this video. But I want to say something. I think that while washing our hands, we should turn off the tap. In this way we prevent a big waste.

You could be right but it hardly takes more than 20 seconds to complete the thing. However, the waste water could be recycled for use in many other ways that support environmental sustainance and safety.

I learnt the proper technique of handwash . how long we should wash our hands to help us protect from germs. which causes illness.

I learned the correct hand whashing technique and also the time required for a correct and safe hands washing.

I learn new words for example jem

I learnt new words! thanks

Yes I have lern anything. I lern how long I was my hands and more

Sure, there are many new words, which I learn, thank you a lot.

This is an informative video specially in these days when people are suffering by coronavirus .

good but it is so difficult to understand .thank you

Many thanks

I liked this exercise because here we can learn how to wash our hands during the day to prevent many illnesses and the fearful Covid-19. It is a very helpful, fan and healthy exercise. I really recommend it. Greetings from Colombia! :D

Yes, I do. For example, I didn't know that bar soap was better than one liquid.

Thanks for those

Excellent

Yes. I do.

Thanks for the material... but the amount of water that is wasted is tremendous (even worse if we think about everyone around the world who is lucky to have water at home, doing it). The tap should be washed and closed during the process of using the soap. Then you open again (already clean) and wash your hands.

Yes, this is what I thought as well.

I think this video is from an American (US) doctor... Is that right?

Hello Josh,

That's right. The doctor has a US accent.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

I see... That's why is so difficult to understand (I mean everything) at first hand!

The video makes a big difference.

This video shows us the good pratical to decrease the risk to attrap coronavirus. In France nowaday, we have to stay at home and move only if we need to buy food, drug and go to Hospital. We take care our family and we hope this situation finish in the short time.

This learning video is hightly important for nowadays, when coronavirus is conquering all countries of the world.

Thank you for the task. I just have a comment regarding the procedure in the video itself. I think the amount of water wasted is too much. The water tap should be closed during the cleaning and reopened only while rinsing. Of course we need to protect against germs but we should keep saving water in mind.

I want to congratulate you guys for your amazing effort and work keeping this website updated with current topics, I always find something new!

Yes , that is true

Online courses

Learn English online – with the world's English experts

Discover more