CDC has launched Life is Better with Clean Hands, a national campaign encouraging parents to make clean hands a healthy habit for the whole family.

Handwashing is an easy, inexpensive, and effective way to help your family stay healthy. Studies have shown that handwashing can prevent 1 in 3 diarrhea-related sicknesses and 1 in 5 respiratory infections, such as a cold or the flu. When your family is healthy, you don’t have to worry about missing school, work, or other activities.

Help your children make handwashing a healthy habit at home, school, and play by:

  • Teaching kids the five easy steps for handwashing—wet, lather, scrub, rinse and dry—and the key times to wash hands, such as after using the bathroom or before eating.
  • Giving frequent reminders so that handwashing becomes a habit and a regular part of your child’s day.
  • Leading by example by washing your hands.

For more information on Life is Better with Clean Hands, a campaign promotion toolkit, free posters, and other resources for promoting handwashing, visit www.cdc.gov/handwashing.