As we prepare for cold and flu season, it’s important to take note of this year’s Global Handwashing Day theme—Hand Hygiene for All. Its premise encourages the effective adoption of hand hygiene habits in every society across the globe now and into the future. While this may seem like a tall order, it’s a goal that begins with a simple but effective habit—handwashing with soap.
 
Research commissioned by the Dial one of Henkel’s beauty brands, seems to indicate an uptick in US consumers’ hygiene habits, particularly around liquid hand soap. According to one survey¹, over two-thirds of Dial consumers who participated claim to be washing their hands more often as result of the pandemic. In fact, half of respondents expect to use liquid hand soap for more occasions during the next six months, and nearly a quarter anticipate using it more than twice as much as they did prior to the pandemic.
 
Handwashing habits in other areas of North America like Canada have also significantly shifted. For example, another recent survey² for the Dial brand found that the number of Canadians who said they wash their hands more than 10 times a day has more than doubled since the pandemic. And 9 in 10 people surveyed are now washing their hands for the recommended 20 seconds, which is close to double the amount of time pre-pandemic.
 
The same Dial study also asked respondents to weigh in what they prefer to be prioritized as children return to school. The results show that washing hands more frequently and thoroughly is the overwhelming leader with 42% of the respondents identifying handwashing as the number one priority instruction for children. However, 88% of parents surveyed say they’re either “very concerned” or “somewhat concerned” about their kids’ handwashing practices lapsing when they return to school.
 
It’s encouraging to see the indication is that American and Canadian consumers are changing their habits to keep their families and communities healthy. But how do we ensure that everyone is adopting the habits properly?
 
The following  helpful tips from leading health organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Public Health Agency of Canada and the World Health Organization (WHO):
     
• First, it’s important to use soap. It may seem simple, but using just water is less effective at removing germs from hands. Soap contains surfactants which help to remove dirt and germs. And if you’re in a location where you don’t have access to water, hand sanitizer can be very helpful as well.
• Second, people are often so busy and focused on moving on to the next thing, they don’t spend enough time washing their hands. In fact, the CDC and the Public Health Agency of Canada recommends washing your hands for at least 20 seconds—especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after nose-blowing, coughing or sneezing. 
• Finally, ensure you’re washing the entire surface of your hands thoroughly. This includes scrubbing between your fingers, over fingertips, and on the top and bottom of your hands. The process of scrubbing your hands will help to remove bacteria from your hands. 
 
Our goal at Henkel is to help protect families by amplifying helpful resources and guidelines like these from leading health organizations. Since acquiring Dial in 2004, Henkel has also conducted a number of hygiene-focused, public-education campaigns, many of which are aimed at students.
 
For example, as part of its ongoing partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Dial brand debuted its #DialItForward social media campaign in the US to help encourage hand washing and the importance of Global Handwashing Day. Dial Canada has also launched a new marketing initiative called “Dial Step 1” that encourages people to make handwashing their official Step 1. 
 
We hope that this campaign will help lather up long-term awareness and healthy hygiene habits. These types of collaborations in the personal care product industry can help establish simple habits now that help ultimately achieve hand hygiene for all.  

References
1. Online survey sponsored by Dial and conducted by Information Resources Inc. in June 2020. It was fielded to 280 respondents. Results were stat tested at the 90% confidence level.

2. National survey sponsored by Dial and conducted by BMS in May 2020. The conducted sample with 1,000 respondents is representative for the Canadian population and has no limitations  concerning gender, nationality and living in designated provinces The sample size allows valid conclusions on a 99% significanct-level within a deviation of 3.89%. The reported results are all far above these criteria and therefore highly signficant.


About the Author
Martina Spinatsch is vice president, beauty care, R&D, Henkel North America.