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Keeping Your Hands Clean on a Cruise

Factsheet [PDF - 169 KB]

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To stay healthy and clean, wash your hands with warm water and soap.

 person washing hands When to wash your hands:

Before:

  • Touching your hand to your mouth, including:
    • Eating and drinking,
    • Smoking, and
    • Brushing your teeth.
  • Helping a sick person.

After:

  • Going to the bathroom.
  • Changing diapers.
  • Touching high-hand contact surfaces, such as:
    • Door knobs,
    • Elevator buttons, and
    • Railings.
  • Returning to your cabin.
  • Helping a sick person.
  • Blowing your nose.

How to wash your hands:

  1. Wet your hands with warm water.
  2. Apply a generous amount of soap.
  3. Rub your hands together for 20 seconds.
  4. Rinse your hands.
  5. Dry your hands with a paper towel.
  6. Use the paper towel to turn off the faucet and open the door.

What about alcohol-based hand sanitizers?
  • CDC recommends that cruise ship passengers use warm water and soap to wash their hands. Washing is always best.
  • If water and soap are NOT available (perhaps on excursions), use an ethanol alcohol-based hand sanitizer, preferably in a gel form. The sanitizer should be at least 62% ethanol.

 
 
Contact Us:
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
    1600 Clifton Rd
    Atlanta, GA 30333
  • 800-CDC-INFO
    (800-232-4636)
    TTY: (888) 232-6348
  • cdcinfo@cdc.gov
  • Page last reviewed: July 15, 2009
  • Page last updated: September 18, 2012
USA.gov: The U.S. Government's Official Web PortalDepartment of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention   1600 Clifton Rd. Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) TTY: (888) 232-6348 - cdcinfo@cdc.gov