All hands on deck

A few years back, handwashing was considered by many people to be one of those tasks that everyone knew was important and beneficial, but more than a few of us didn’t do it as often or as thoroughly as needed to effectively ward off germs and disease.

But the threat posed by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 transformed handwashing from a perfunctory task to ward off germs to a critical and urgent step for combating a specific and potentially deadly virus. That was especially true in school washrooms, where frequent use by throngs of students and struggles to maintain clean and healthful conditions created real fears about contracting Covid or other illnesses.

Concerns about Covid-19 have subsided in the aftermath of the pandemic, but health advocates continue to emphasize, as they did before the pandemic, that frequent handwashing for children and adults is a crucial step in protecting people from disease.

Handwashing with soap removes germs from hands; because people frequently touch their eyes, nose and mouth with their hands, germs can be transmitted into people’s bodies and cause illness, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says. Germs from unwashed hands also can get into foods and drinks, or be transferred to objects like tabletop and handrails and make people sick.

“Handwashing can prevent about 30% of diarrhea-related sicknesses and about 20% of respiratory infections (e.g., colds),” the CDC says.

Soap and water

Schools should encourage cleaning hands with soap and water or using a hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available, the CDC recommends.

“Teach and reinforce handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds,” the agency says. “Integrate hand hygiene lessons in...curricula to regularly remind children of the importance of keeping hands clean.

Hand sanitizer is not a substitute for cleaning hands with soap and water, the CDC says, but it “can be placed in areas where soap and water are not readily available (like cafeterias, classrooms, and gyms, for example) and near frequently touched surfaces, such as water fountains, doors, and shared equipment.”

Schools should build time into daily routines for children and staff to wash hands, “like after bathroom breaks, before lunch, or after playing outside.” Schools also should consider making hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol available for teachers, staff and children.

The CDC urges schools to increase access to equipment and supplies needed for handwashing, such as sinks, soap dispensers, portable handwashing stations and hand sanitizer dispensers.

“It is also important to provide a way for children and staff to dry hands by providing paper towels or hand dryers,” the CDC says. “Germs spread more easily when hands are wet, so making sure children and staff have a way to dry hands completely can help keep them safe.”

Surveys say...

Are people washing their hands more consistently after coping with the Covid-19 pandemic? Reports are mixed. The 2025 Healthy Handwashing Survey conducted by the Bradley Company found that 79% of those surveyed wash their hands more frequently or thoroughly in response to seasonal virus outbreaks.

On the other hand, 77% of those surveyed say they see people leaving public bathrooms without washing their hands (in the 2024 survey, 68% reported seeing others forgo handwashing), and 45% of respondents admit that in some of their washroom visits, they have only rinsed their hands and skipped using soap.

In a different national survey, the 2025 NFID State of Handwashing Report by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases found that 33% of respondents say they wash their hands more now than they did during the pandemic. On the other hand, 48% say they forget or choose not to wash their hands at key times.

Forgetting is the most common reason reported for not washing hands, but the NFID survey also found that 20% of those surveyed actively choose not to wash their hands, citing reasons like it being unnecessary, a lack of time, or a concern about drying out their hands. Of those who did not wash their hands with soap and water, men are more likely to simply forget, and women are more likely to use alternatives like hand sanitizer.

The NFID survey also found that 26% of those surveyed said they washed their hands more frequently in the fall and winter; Adults 18 to 29 were more likely to later their handwashing habits based on the season.

“The seasonal variance is understandable given that some respiratory diseases...tend to fall during the fall and winter,” the NFID says. “However, other germs—like those that cause colds, norovirus and other infectious diseases—can spread throughout the year. It’s important to maintain proper hand hygiene year round to help stay healthy.”

The NFID concluded from its survey that although the basics of handwashing are familiar to many, more people need to put that knowledge into action.

“The survey highlights a key opportunity to more clearly communicate the benefits of handwashing,” the NFID says.

Participants in the Bradley survey rated school restrooms as among the worst. Restrooms at hotels, resorts, and conferences were rated the highest, and school bathrooms were ranked below drug stores and gas stations.

Survey participants identified what they believed were the best opportunities for improving restrooms:

*Better restroom cleaning and product restocking. Those have been the top requests from survey participants for many years.

*Most of those surveyed would like washrooms to offer paper towels, even when air dryers are available. The survey found 60% of people use paper towels to avoid touching surfaces.

*Nearly 80% of those surveyed say installation of touchless surfaces throughout a restroom is important and results in a better bathroom experience.

The top restroom complaints are clogged or unflushed toilets, an old, dirty or unkempt appearance and unpleasant smells, the Bradley survey found.

“These issues don’t just create discomfort,” the company says in a news release. “They signal to users that cleanliness and care aren’t priorities.”