Are you washing your hands properly?

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) There's a good chance you've heard this a lot lately - wash your hands carefully and frequently. These are basic hygiene tips that can be your best defense against coronavirus. But even if we learn to do this as children, experts say that most of us are likely to save on safety.

"A lot of people are very nervous. Most people just have the flu," said David Weiss, a rescue nurse at the University of Vermont Medical. He says if it's the flu or the corona virus, protecting yourself starts washing your hands. "This virus is transmitted through drops of breath that we often have in our hands."

Most of you at home probably say, "Yes, we wash our hands." But are you really well? Probably not.

First, rinse your hands. The water temperature doesn't matter. Then get your soap, antibacterial or regular, it doesn't matter. Then it starts to foam. This is where you create friction that removes dirt or germs from your skin. And start your stopwatch. You have to spend 20 seconds in this step. It may seem long, and if I am, you are probably cutting corners.

But it matters. According to the CDC, 15 to 30 seconds are actually more effective in removing germs from your hands than shorter times. However, you choose to measure these 20 seconds. It's up to you. When you have finished your 20 seconds, continue and rinse again and dry with a clean paper towel or air dryer. And when you've done that, congratulations, you've just done one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself and others from the corona virus.

"At the moment, it's just basic hygiene to prevent the disease from spreading," said Weiss.

He says hand sanitizers aren't any better, but it is useful if you don't have soap and water. The CDC says it must have at least 60 percent alcohol to function. And you should rub it until it's dry. "The viruses and bacteria it kills actually die during the drying phase," said Weiss.

Also remember to clean your phone. Studies vary, but it could carry up to 25,000 bacteria per square inch, making it ten times dirtier than a toilet seat, according to scientists from the University of Arizona.

Weiss says it's good to be careful, but don't panic. "The truth is that you are probably going to be fine if you are a healthy person and wash your hands and walk away from someone who coughs and sneezes," he said.

The other good tip: don't touch your face. It's harder than you think, but the good news is that if you wash your hands a lot, you will have less risk of germ transmission if you do.

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