Have Singaporeans’ hand hygiene improved since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic? Walch®, a leading hygiene and home care brand, sought to find out with a survey studying Singaporeans’ attitude to handwashing. The nationwide survey saw close to 1,500 respondents from all walks of life share the good, the bad, and the ‘eeew’ of their handwashing habits.

First, the good news. Singaporeans are more conscious about their hand hygiene compared to pre-COVID times. 9 out of 10 respondents wash their hands more often than before, while 93% wash their hands the moment they return home.

The study also found that 7 in 10 respondents wash their hands fewer than 10 times in 24 hours. But are we washing our hands right? When they do wash their hands, only half are aware that the recommended time for effective hand washing is 20 seconds, but 8 out of 10 respondents wash their hands for less than that. What’s more, 3 in 5 respondents are unsure of how much soap they should use.

When out and about, 9 in 10 respondents said that they prefer automatic dispensers in public washrooms to prevent touching, but they still use pump dispensers at home. More than half of the respondents, however, don’t wash their soap dispensers. Common places for soap dispensers are bathrooms and by the kitchen sink, which could lead to an accumulation of germs and bacteria lurking on the soap dispenser and risk contamination.

It’s no surprise that more Singaporeans are turning to delivery for their food, groceries, and shopping needs, with 40% receiving packages once a week. Most respondents are sensible, with 7 in 10 respondents washing their hands after receiving a delivered package.

When looking for the kind of hand wash to buy, 6 in 10 respondents chose ‘kills 99.9% unwanted germs’ as the main motivator in deciding to buy a hand wash, followed by being ‘gentle on the skin’ and ‘contactless’.

Walch®’s CNY campaign “Gift Health. Gift Wealth.” encourages Singaporeans to boost hygiene practices and bring Walch® Speed Foaming Automatic Hand Wash into the homes of Singaporeans celebrating Chinese New Year to make sure they have a joyous, healthy and safe celebration. Walch® Speed Foaming Automatic Hand Wash uses German technology by Centralin to dispense an adjustable amount of 0.8ml or 1.2ml to effectively kill 99.9% of germs, while being gentle on the hands. Furthermore, it is 100% contactless.

Header image: Envato. Infographic: Walch®