Travel Advice/Travel Tips -  Keeping those hands clean

The medical profession tells us that bacteria are often spread by contact with other hands or by contact with surfaces that have been touched by the hands of others. Casually observe your fellow travelers and watch where there hands roam. In addition, most of us have observed people who use bathrooms but do not wash their hands on the way out.

We fall into the group who recommend that you keep you hands as clean as possible during travel in order to avoid exposure to the bacteria redistributed by hands.

Here are several ways to handle hands!

Carry a small bottle of anti-bacterial hand sanitizer (e.g. Purell® or Dial®) and use it when appropriate (e.g. after shaking hands or after using a restroom, especially if you have touched the toilet seat or the door to the toilet). Hand sanitizer products come in personal sized bottles that will fit in a pocket or a purse.

If you do not have hand sanitizer available, wash your hands using soap and hot water as often as practical. Most of us leave the restroom because we do not have time to wait for the hot water to arrive, so remember to carry hand sanitizer.

Now, one more "handy" issue -Many people face the “restroom door challenge” with trepidation, not wanting to touch the door but needing to open it to get in or out. If you are inside, take an extra towel after you dry your hands and use it to cover your hand when you open the door. If the door is a “push door”, push it open with you hips. If it is a “pull door”, there are no towels, and you are wearing apparel that is long sleeved (e.g. sweatshirt, jacket, etc.) slip your hand inside the material and use the apparel as a glove while opening the door.

 Top of page         Travel Tips Home