There are Germans Everywhere!!!!

Wash Your Hands and Say Your Prayers Cause Jesus and Germs are Everywhere

My grandmother had this sign in her kitchen. It still makes me smile, for when I was little, I thought she was talking about “Germans” and not “Germs”.

"Cleanliness is next to Godliness." The origin of this expression is unclear, though it could have originated from ancient Hebrew or Egyptian writings. The first English version seems to have originated from Francis Bacon. In any case, the meaning is clear: keeping your body clean is vital.

Cleanliness is important in any workplace; however, it is crucial in certain occupations. For instance, cleanliness is a top priority in the medical industry. Bacteria can become a life and death issue. Fortunately, the personnel can use a wide variety of methods, including the wearing of scrubs. Keeping your hands clean is another method to prevent the transferring of bacteria.

1. Understand the importance of hand washing

According to some experts, washing our hands is the most effective way to prevent diseases from spreading. That is due to the link between bacteria and diseases. Diseases spread when we contact fluids from people's bodies. For instance, consider someone with the common cold. After blowing his nose, he could inadvertently place mucous on a doorknob. The virus can survive there for a while, and thus be transmitted to another person who touches the doorknob. By simply washing our hands frequently and being conscientious about what we touch, we can reduce the transmission of bacteria.

In addition to the common cold, failing to wash your hands throughout the day, can increase the likelihood of transmitting numerous infections, including the common cold, digestive viruses, flu, hepatitis A, and skin infections.


2. Wash at the proper time

How often should you wash your hands? Experts recommend that people wash them at least 10 times daily. However, those in the medical profession should wash them even more frequently. For instance, here are some activities after which you should scrub away:

- before you eat
- after you eat
- before touching your nose, mouth, or eyes
- after contacting fluids from bodies
- after contacting items that have contacted fluids from bodies
- after using the restroom

You might be shocked at how infrequently people wash their hands. After using the restroom, only about two-thirds of Americans wash their hands!

3. Wash your hands by using the proper technique

Washing your hands properly does not involve rinsing your hands quickly. Instead, you should use certain techniques. Use warm, soapy water and wash them for roughly 15-30 seconds. If you do not feel like using a stopwatch, wash your hands while singing the "ABC song." Then rinse your hands thoroughly. Experts have determined that the length of time you wash your hands, is much more important than the type of soap that you use (i.e. antibacterial soap).

Where are you going with this, Tom?  I thought your blogs were always about technology???

Antibacterial soap IS technology.  But the actual USE of the antibacterial soap - that is all human.  Science figured out that the washing of the hands is very important indeed. But only 100 years ago they did not wash their hands at all, not even before the surgeon cut you open. Today, doctors and nurses will wash their hands - and THEN they put on gloves on top of their freshly washed hands.

Now, are you “washing your technology hands” in your germ filled business world?  

Did you backup your hard drive today? Did you defragment your computer to save 30% on time and electrical energy to run your computer?  Did you protect yourself from malware, spyware and other nasty things? The list is long - the list of things that we all know that we should be doing, but we still do not do.  

 We all know that washing our hands is the right thing to do - and yet we don’t do it - why?  Even when there are signs posted right in our face to remind us to do it - we still do not do it.  My grandmother would be so happy if we all would just agree to “wash our hands” in the business and technology world every single day. 


“Waste not, want not” as my grandmother would say. If we don't waste what we have, we'll still have it in the future and will not lack (want) it. If we address our technology problems today, we shall not have to address them tomorrow.

Do you promise to start washing your filthy, dirty, grubby, nasty, germ-ridden (technology) infected hands at YOUR work place and at home - today, and every day?  Yes?   

Let’s shake on it!