Hygiene has been on everyone's minds as of late, brought on by a fear of potentially deadly germs. Washing your hands is a way to fend off everything from salmonella to the coronavirus to the common cold. Invisible particles on your hands can cause diarrhea, fever, or stomach bleeding. It's particularly important to wash after using the restroom or changing a diaper. Even raw meat can contain undetectable traces of feces on its surface, which can ultimately lead to illness. We'll look at why you should wash your hands and what can happen if you don't.
The Nature of Illnesses
There is some debate about how much hygiene we need. After all, the immune system does need some exposure to bacteria and viruses in order to build it up. Despite this, it's not a reason to skip washing your hands. Illnesses don't just have an opportunity to infect you, they can infect anyone you come in contact with — or anyone who comes in contact with something you touch.
From countertops to handles, you can spread infections just through daily activities. Unwashed hands are usually the culprit behind how illnesses spread. Because people touch their faces so often, the germs can enter anywhere from the mouth to the nose to the eyes. With a kiss on the lips, the virus or bacteria only has one port of entry for the virus to enter. With the hands, practically everywhere is up for grabs.
A Quick Snapshot
The actual numbers of preventable deaths around the world, in part due to unwashed hands, are not easy to digest. About 1.8 children under the age of 5 die from some kind of pneumonia- or diarrhea-related illness. Most people will use water to wash up, but soap is key. Even better than chemical hand sanitizers, washing your hands for at least 20 seconds is an extremely effective way to both kill germs and wash away any dirt or leftover residue.
Reducing the Use of Antibiotics
The use of antibiotics around the world ensures antibiotic resistance will be built up throughout generations. If handwashing can cut the number of illnesses down by even 20%, we'll see a lot fewer prescriptions and far less misery during cold-and-flu season.
When to Wash Your Hands
In addition to washing any time you come into contact with feces, you should also be washing your hands before and after treating a wound to keep germs out of the bloodstream. After you 
sneeze, handle animals, or touch garbage, you should also be making your way to a faucet.
Call The Texas Loo
The Texas Loo makes it easy to get a well-stocked luxury restroom trailer for your event or project. From festivals to business remodels, we don't skimp on the extras. When you make it easier for everyone to wash their hands, you significantly reduce the odds of an outbreak. Give us a call today to learn more about just how comfortable and convenient our bathrooms are.