Good personal hygiene remains one of the simplest yet most effective ways to prevent the spread of infections, both at home and in healthcare facilities.

Sister Victoria Malindi, Infection Prevention and Control practitioner at Potchefstroom Hospital, said proper hand hygiene and everyday cleanliness can make a significant difference in protecting individuals, especially those with weakened immune systems.

“All you need is soap, clean water and a paper towel,” said Malindi. “Something as simple as washing your hands properly before cleaning or dressing a wound can prevent serious infections that may otherwise require antibiotic treatment.”

She explained that while running water is not available in every household, people should avoid washing their hands in a bucket of standing water, as germs can easily spread. Instead, she recommends asking someone to slowly pour water over the hands from a bottle while washing. Liquid soap is also preferable to bar soap, as bacteria and germs can remain on the surface of bar soap.

Malindi stressed that healthcare workers are equally responsible for practising proper hand hygiene to prevent infections from spreading within the hospital.

She said many patients admitted to the hospital, particularly elderly people or those unable to care for themselves, arrive with poor personal hygiene and, in some cases, body lice. In severe infestations, hair may need to be shaved, while clothing and bedding should be thoroughly disinfected or discarded.

The hospital also faces challenges beyond its control. According to Malindi, mothers of premature babies who need to express breast milk while their infants remain hospitalised often have no way to keep the milk safely refrigerated once they return home.

“We can only help in the hospital, we cannot do anything about what happens at home,” she said.

She added that many homeless people also struggle to maintain personal hygiene due to limited access to facilities and, in some cases, underlying mental health challenges.

Malindi encouraged families to establish simple hygiene habits to reduce the spread of illness. She recommends assigning each family member their own toiletries, using separate face and body cloths, washing fruit and vegetables before eating them, cleaning shopping trolley handles and frequently touched surfaces, and always drinking clean water.

“When someone in the house has diarrhoea, it spreads very quickly. Clean the toilet immediately afterwards with a cloth and disinfectant to reduce the risk of infecting the rest of the household,” she advised.

She also encouraged people to rotate towels daily, wash them after three days, and hang them in direct sunlight whenever possible. Good personal hygiene also includes cleaning the tongue, trimming fingernails regularly, washing between the toes and taking special care of the feet, particularly for people living with diabetes.

For children, Malindi suggests making handwashing enjoyable by encouraging them to sing the “Happy Birthday” song three times while washing their hands to ensure they spend enough time cleaning them properly.

For households without access to a shower, she shared a practical solution using a five-litre plastic bottle. By making several small holes in the base of the bottle, suspending it upside down and loosening the cap slightly, families can create a simple gravity-fed shower. Leaving the filled bottle in the Potchefstroom sun for two to three hours before use can also provide warm water.

“Infections can spread incredibly fast without us even noticing,” said Malindi. “This is especially dangerous for vulnerable people, such as cancer patients and others with compromised immune systems. Good hygiene protects not only yourself, but everyone around you.”