Clean & Protect: Best Personal Hygiene Techniques to Keep You Safe

 

It should go without saying, but 2020 certainly was a year of change. We’ve stayed in and stayed away, kept our distance and kept our hands clean.

And while we can’t wait for some things to go back to normal, like being able to hug and kiss our nearest and dearest again, the practice of good personal hygiene will be here to stay.

So take a look at our best tips and advice for keeping your hands clean, and you and others safe. In this post you’ll read about:

• Best hand washing techniques
• Which cleaning products to stock the house with
• Which sanitisers and essentials you shouldn't leave the house without
• Best face covers for the whole family

Best Hand Washing Techniques

Wetting your hands under the cold tap and shaking them dry as you leave the bathroom is no longer an option (it really should never have been one!). It’s more vital than ever that we wash our hands thoroughly whenever we use the bathroom, whenever we return home from work or the shops, in communal/public spaces and prior to preparing food and eating. Here’s what you should be doing:

1. Wet your hands with water and apply soap or hand wash
2. Rub hands together, palm to palm, to create a lather
3. Rub the back of one hand with the palm of the other, and then switch hands
4. Interlace your fingers with one hand rubbing the back of the other. Switch hands
5. Grab you thumb with the opposite hand, as if it was the handlebar of a bike, and rotate. Switch hands
6. Rub the tips of your fingers on the palm of your other hand. Switch hands.
7. Make a circle around your wrist with the opposite hand, so your thumb and middle finger touch. Rub your wrist, then switch hands
8. Rinse hands with water
9. Dry them with a clean towel or better yet, with a hand dryer (if you’re in a public place)

At Home

Good hygiene starts at home. This is especially important for parents with small children, who will take their learned practices (whether good or bad) wherever they go. So it’s important to nail the basics of cleanliness in your everyday domestic routines.

Keep a good stock of hand gel that you can always rely on. This XXL Fresh Gel Hand Cleanser will ensure you always have something to sanitise hands with in the house, and can be used to top up the smaller bottles you take out with you.

Keeping various hand gel pumps in key areas of the house will ensure you always have access, regardless of the situation that presents itself. Keep one by the front door for exiting and entering, and one in the kitchen for preparing food and eating

B&M Top Tip: germs and bacteria spread easily when we sneeze. Whenever you feel one coming on, reach for Kleenex Balsam Tissues, sneeze into the tissue, bin it immediately and clean your hands.

And with so much of our lives now dominated by screens, keeping our phones and tablets clean is more important than ever. Keep a good stock of Clean & Protect Antibacterial Screen Wipes in the house, and use them every time you’re finished using your phone or tablet.

Out and About

Of course, we should only be heading out and about when it’s absolutely necessary, such as work, going to the supermarket or for medical appointments. When we do venture out, it’s vital to follow the rules, keep our distance from others outside our household, wear a mask and clean our hands regularly.

This means before we touch shopping trolleys/baskets, before we enter stores and after we’ve left. Keep your bag topped up with Anti-Viral Handy Wipes, this handy 100ml Hand Sanitiser and a packet or two of Kleenex Everyday Hanks tissues. Some shops and places of business will provide sanitising products when you enter, but it’s always best to come prepared!

B&M Top Tip: better yet, take a few pairs of disposable gloves. They’re especially useful when you go to top up fuel, as touching the pump is unavoidable. Our Clean & Protect Nitrile Gloves 100pk are latex and powder free.

Face Covers for the Whole Family

One of the most visible changes in 2020 was the introduction of face covers into our everyday lives. Helping to stop transmission of viruses, our face coverings offer essential protection, not just to ourselves but to everyone else.

At B&M, we have a huge range of face covers for the whole family! Reusable face covers you can wash are great for everyday protection. We recommend picking up a couple that you can rotate with while the other is being washed.

Or maybe disposable covers are more convenient. Keep a pack handy in your car and bag – you really never know when you’ll need one!

And we have lots of kid friendly face covers, available in a variety of designs and colours! From pink and blue to footballs and unicorns! Whatever encourages them to head out safely and responsibly.

B&M Top Tip: our Infrared Thermometer is great for keeping on top of your family’s well-being. It’s easy to use and gives quick results.

Did we miss anything? Share your personal hygiene tips for keeping your friends and family safe with the B&M Community on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram!