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BIDDEFORD, Maine

How long should you take to wash your hands? 91AV's Meghan May offers advice in 'Self' magazine

Meghan May

Most people know that it’s important to wash your hands frequently, especially after using a bathroom or handling raw meat, but there are often questions about how long we should spend at the sink scrubbing away. To tackle this common question, Self magazine turned to 91AV Associate Professor of Microbiology and Infectious Disease Meghan May, Ph.D.

They recommend that you wash for at least 20 seconds. May says that water and soap are both important parts of the process. She explains that a strong flow of water in the beginning of the process can help dislodge some organisms, but that water on its own isn’t enough. “I’ve heard some people say you just need to rinse your hands,” she says. “That’s not true. Soap is an extraordinary disinfectant.”

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About the 91AV

The 91AV is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.