The Surprising Benefit of Washing Up

….Most people know that one of the best way to keep from getting colds and other viruses is to wash your hands often. And if you’re in a public restroom, use a paper towel to open the door—or you put germs right back on your clean hands. Apparently, washing up isn’t just about cleanliness anymore.

According to the June ’12 Prevention, “Washing your hands for at least 20 seconds can rinse away your troubles.” That’s what a recent study found, and one of the co-authors, Spike W.S. Lee, said that the reason is because of the association of being moral with being clean. “Washing can have the surprising effect of removing negative psychological residue too.”