Preventative health care is literally in our hands. Common sense hand hygiene and surface cleaning and disinfection practices will play an important role this year during the cold and flu season to help keep people healthy."

SDA recommends taking the following steps at home, work and school:

Washing hands with soap for a minimum of 15-20 seconds routinely, particularly after coughing, sneezing, using the restroom and before eating meals. Having all family members carry a portable hand sanitizer product when access to soap and water is potentially inaccessible. Routinely cleaning and disinfecting home and office surfaces, including countertops, desks, keyboards, telephones and doorknobs and handles.

A total of 888 American adults (446 men and 442 women) were surveyed August 6-9, 2009, on behalf of SDA, by Echo Research. The survey has a margin of error of +/- 3.4 percent. A summary of the findings will be available at www.cleaning101/newsroom/surveys.

Source: cleaning101