It seems like it's pretty simple, but a new report by the United States Department of Agriculture says that 97% of Americans don't properly wash their hands.

Not properly washing your hands can lead to cross contamination in your food and key areas in our kitchen.  According to the CDC, this is the correct technique to follow when washing your hands:

1. First, run clean water (warm or cold) over your hands and turn off the tap.

2. Next, apply soap and lather your hands by rubbing them together. Avoid focusing only on your palms by making sure to lather behind your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.

3. The scrubbing process should take place for at least 20 seconds to get rid of germs. To time yourself, scrub for as long as it takes to hum the song “Happy Birthday” two times.

4. Run clean water over your hands again and rinse the soap off.

5. Use a clean towel to dry your hands afterward. If you don't have access to one, air dry your hands before using them.

If you do not have access to soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol.

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