Isn't it true that one must wash their hands with soap/warm water in order to be completely clean/sanitary?

Most public places that have restrooms including schools do not have hot water in their sinks in the restrooms. Isn't it true that one should wash their hands with soap and warm water for twenty seconds to kill the bacteria/viruses? I am curious, especially since the fall will be coming and the big thing about the flu virus (swine flu). Your comments are appreciated and thank you for them.Isn't it true that one must wash their hands with soap/warm water in order to be completely clean/sanitary?
Hot/Warm water with soap it important. However, the most important thing to get your hands clean is friction. Scrub them together really god and rinse really well. This should get you hands pretty clean. They can never be ';completely'; clean in that there are always going to be some bacteria and other things that just live on your skin naturally. Also as a side note, it has been shown that antibacterial soap is causing some antibacterial resistance much like people who do not use all of their antibiotic medicine which results in the strongest bacteria living and multiplying. So my vote is to nix the antibacterial soap and just use regular soap, hot/warm water, and lots of friction.Isn't it true that one must wash their hands with soap/warm water in order to be completely clean/sanitary?
We actually did an experiment in Biology where we grew samples on agar of someone's hand which had been


1. Unwashed


2. Washed in cold water


3. Cold water + soap


4. Hot water


5. Hot water + soap





There was a significant different in how much bacteria grew on the agar, hot water plus soap definitely being the most sanitary. The heat is needed to kill the bacteria - in industry heat is used to sterilise and give things long shelf life e.g. Ultra Heat-Treated milk. So, hot water and soap is better if not completely sanitising.
You always need to wash your hands--often and thoroughly. Soap and water won't remove EVERYTHING, but it cuts down immensley on whatever is there. Keep your house clean, avoid crowed places. Like go to Walmart at 3:00am when all the ';dust'; has settled. Wipe your cart handles. STOCK UP! Buy everything you can for the Winter, and don't go running to stores for every little thing. Stay out of them as much as you can. You can get buy with trips to the grocery store and gas station, and limit trips to bigger stores. Hibernate and isolate--REALLY.
The 20-second thing is what I was told too. I actually counted to 20 out loud when I was little. Now I sing to 20.





But Jamiir has me worried that I'm not doing enough! Steamy hot water? Now I have to SCALD the germs off me? Well, I'm glad I read that! It's not even 9am and I've already learned something new today. I need to work lyrics about steamy water into my ';Cleansing To Twenty'; song!
from working in the health Field i can tell you that you need steam and high heat to become sanitary. the soap in most public places and schools arent even anti-bacterial.