Look to Your Faucet

Want to protect your family from illness-causing germs? Turn to the sink.

Hand wipes have gained popularity recently, but plain old soap and water may eradicate germs much more effectively, recent research suggests. In a study, hand washing killed significantly more hand bacteria than did antimicrobial hand wipes.

The problem is that germs are easily carried around on your kids' hands, and they can survive there for up to three hours. And hand wipes and alcohol rubs may not do the trick when it comes to keeping germs away. At the very least, you should have children wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water before every meal and after every trip to the bathroom. Viruses are sturdy little particles that can cause illnesses, such as hepatitis A, colds, the flu, gastroenteritis, and other ailments. Washing hands often is one of the best ways to reduce your family's risk of some of these illnesses. When you don't have access to soap and water, alcohol rubs and hand wipes may offer some protection against certain infectious agents.