One in five people don’t wash their hands, say studies. And of those that do, only 30 percent use soap.

Improving handwashing and educating the public on proper infection prevention is important in the jan/san industry. To aid in the process, supporters of Global Handwashing Day — on October 15 — encourage everyone in the industry to pledge to make hands clean.

Global Handwashing Day was originally created for children and schools, but can be celebrated by anyone promoting handwashing with soap. Each year, over 200 million people are involved in celebrations in over 100 countries around the world.

The common goal is to educate people on germs and their potential spread - and the role handwashing plays in keeping people safe.

According to Deb, manufacturer of hand soaps and proponent for handwashing, germs and bacteria that cause common illnesses are invisible to the naked eye. Whether you are in a workplace, public facility, leisure environment or educational facility, germs are spread from person-to person and by touching everyday surfaces.

Click here to participate in Global Handwashing Day, download posters and learn more about the spread of germs.