Frequent hand washing is one of the most important disease prevention skills you can teach your child, say experts. Here's how you can help your child learn the importance -- and proper steps -- of hand washing.

When to wash hands

Teach your child to always wash his hands:

• Immediately before and after eating or cooking
• After using the toilet or having his diapers changed
• After blowing his nose or sneezing
• After playing on the playground
• After handling pets, pet cages or other pet objects

Hand washing steps:

1. Wet hands and apply a small amount of mild, preferably liquid, soap to hands. Some prefer antibacterial soap, but the kind of soap you use actually does not matter as much as how well you rub your hands together and create friction to remove dirt and germs.
2. Rub hands together vigorously until the soap lathers up and continue for at least 15 seconds. Be sure to scrub between fingers, under fingernails, and around the tops and palms of hands.
3. Rinse hands under clean, running water.
4. After rinsing, dry hands with a clean towel.

Wet towelettes and alcohol-based hand sanitizers

Hand washing is still the best way to wash away dirt and infectious germs. Wet towelettes or wipes and waterless hand sanitizers should not be used as a substitute for washing hands with soap and running water. Towelettes should only be used to remove residue, such as food off a baby's face.