The spread of the coronavirus has some people heeding the warning to wash their hands more often and more thoroughly.
The handwashing recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is to "scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds." It says that if you need to time it, sing "Happy Birthday" twice.
That could get a bit tiresome. So here is another idea: sing the chorus of a popular song you like.
Journalist Jen Monnier and the Los Angeles Times have come up with these songs you can wash your hands to.
- "Love on Top" by Beyonce
- "Raspberry Beret" by Prince
- "Jolene" by Dolly Parton
- "Africa" by Toto
- "Truth Hurts" by Lizzo
- "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac
- "Lose Yourself" by Eminem
- "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield
- "Heaven Is A Place On Earth" by Belinda Carlisle
- "Karma Chameleon" by Culture Club
If you need something more kid-friendly, "The Alphabet Song" is a good standby, but you need to include the "Now I know my ABCs" verse to get it past 20 seconds. "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" is the same song but with different lyrics, so that works, too.
If none of these are your cup of tea, there are surely more out there that you would enjoy humming.
Here is how the CDC recommends you wash you hands. Note that just scrubbing your hands is what is supposed to take 20 seconds. So, the entire process will take longer.
- Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
- Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
- Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds.
- Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
- Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them