Why do I have to wash my hands?
Germs are teeny tiny bugs, even tinier than a sprinkle, too small to see.
Pip’s answer
- Germs are teeny tiny bugs, even tinier than a sprinkle, too small to see.
- Some germs can make you sick if they get into your mouth.
- Soap grabs the germs, and splish-splash, water washes them away!
For grown-ups
Germs such as bacteria and viruses are too small to see. Soap molecules have one end that sticks to water and one end that sticks to oils and grease, so they lift germs off the skin and trap them, and rinsing washes them away. Scrubbing for about 20 seconds makes handwashing much more effective.
Ask your child: Can you sing a song that lasts 20 seconds while you wash?
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