Did you know that freshly cleaned, wet hands transfer pathogens more readily than dry hands or hands not washed at all.
[cringe]
Me, either.
I am very excited to partner with my friends at TheMotherhood.com and in the Kleenex Hand Towels campaign and share some important facts about hand drying -- like, how I've spent the last 16 years reminding my kids (constantly) to wash their hands and never once worried about their hand drying habits, or lack thereof.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (you know, the CDC, they specialize in ICK!) recommends hand drying with a single-use towel to help reduce the spread of germs, but consumers have not had a practical alternative to traditional cloth hand towels in their home bathrooms – until now.
Why?
Because, I am ALL about ridding my house of pathogens (the killer dust bunnies are getting real jealous) and my family and I get to work on this project, together!
No, I am NOT going to sing (you're welcome!) but, my oldest daughter is working on this really cool idea and, well, did I mention she's 16 and digitally/graphically gifted?
[the sound of crickets chirping]
Oh, and there's a lovely prize to help kick-off the promotion.
First, a few more reasons why I'm thinking....ICK!!!!....perhaps I should change the bathroom towels more often.
PERCEPTION: Three quarters of Americans (73%) believe hand drying is less important than hand washing when it comes to helping stop the spread of germs. [TFH: Me, too!]
CDC FACT: Freshly cleaned, wet hands transfer pathogens more readily than dry hands or hands not washed at all. The residual moisture determines the level of bacterial and viral transfer following hand washing. Careful hand drying is a critical factor for bacterial transfer to skin, food and environmental surfaces. [TFH: ICK!]
PERCEPTION: Most Americans (84%) say they change their hand towels for sanitary reasons yet the majority (78%) use the same hand towel in their bathroom for a couple of days or longer. [TFH: Thinking I was perhaps saving energy and, you know, I've got plenty of OTHER laundry.]
CDC FACT: Repeated drying of hands with reusable cloth towels is not recommended and should be avoided. Only one-in-five Americans (22%) are familiar with recommendation of drying hands with a one-time use towel. [TFH: Go figure.]
Visit KleenexHandTowels.com for educational activities designed to teach hand hygiene and for additional information.
I am also very honored to be working alongside these lovely ladies (albeit, virtually) in sharing/passing along the ICK-factor.
Can't wait to see what my blogging friends come up with:
Becky, Nickles-n-Dimes: http://blog.nickels-n-dimes.com/
Caryn Bailey, Rockin' Mama, http://rockinmama.net
Jill Anderson, The Diaper Diaries, http://thediaperdiaries.net
Kimberly Coleman, Mom in the City, www.mominthecity.com
Kimberly Ortiz, Pretty Pink Momma, http://prettypinkmomma.blogspot.com
Leighann, The Full Mommy, http://www.thefullmommy.com/
Robyn Wright, Robyn's Online World, http://robynsonlineworld.blogspot.com
Sarah Kimmel, Organized Mom, http://www.organizedmom.net/?page_id=108
Angie Knutson, My Four Monkeys, www.myfourmonkeys.com
Lindsay Maines, Rock and Roll Mama, http://rockandrollmama.com/
Jennifer Leal, Savor the Thyme, http://savorthethyme.blogspot.com/
Christina McMenemy, A Mommy Story, http://amommystory.blogspot.com/
Andrea Fellman, Savvy Sassy Moms, http://www.savvysassymoms.com/
Beth Davis, Plus Size Mommy, http://www.theplussizemommy.com
Kathy Sykes, A Wife, Mother and First Lady, http://wifemotherfirstlady.com/Shannon Steen-Larsen, The Mommy Files, http://www.themommy-files.com/Amanda Acuna, Mommy Mandy www.mommymandy.comChristine Satterfield, I Dream of Clean, http://iDreamofClean.netTricia Callahan, Once a Month Mom, http://onceamonthmom.com
Be sure to visit their blogs (these mamas are sharing some good stuff, too) or, you could always find us hanging out at TheMotherhood.com!
To help kick-off the promotion, we're also sharing a chance to win a $50 gift card from Service Master (the parent company of Merry Maids) a fantastic all-purpose cleaning and house service company.
Want one?
GET IT HERE: To win, listen to The Kleenex Hand Towels Drying Song by visiting their website at www.kleenex.com/HandTowels/ and then come back and let me know what you think about it in the “comments” section below along with a valid email address on this post by 10:00 a.m. on Monday, May 10th and you're automatically entered to win. One (1) winner will be picked (via random.org) and announced via email and posted on My Prizey Giveaways Page!.
'CAWSE WE LOVE TO SHARE SOME EXTRA CHANCES (not required) TO WIN, TOO:
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Also, click here to check out some of our other favorite stuff we're sharing (when you have time, of course) good luck and wake me when, you know, allergy season ends.
© 2010 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.
Disclosure: TheMotherhood and Kleenex are compensating me for spreading the word about Kleenex Hand Towels and the Hand Drying Song.