The recommended time you should wash your hands in order to be most effective is twenty seconds, which is longer than you think! The CDC recommends washing your hands to a song to make sure you reach the twenty-second mark. The tried and true is Happy Birthday, but just in case you don't want to feel like that sad audio of the Mars Rover we have compiled some more exciting songs to sing while washing.
Classics: They only get better with time and they're sure to keep your hands germ free.
Dolly Parton, Jolene. Chorus- “Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, I'm begging of you please don't take my man. Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene. Please don't take him just because you can."
Toto, Africa. Chorus- “It’s gonna take a lot to drag me away from you/ There’s nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do/ I bless the rains down in Africa/ Gonna take some time to do the things we never had”
Rupert Holmes, Escape (The Pina Colada Song). Chorus- "If you like piña coladas, and getting caught in the rain/ If you're not into yoga, if you have half a brain/ If you like making love at midnight in the dunes of the cape/ I'm the love that you've looked for, write to me and escape"
Throwbacks: These are our top picks from the era of the girl group.
1. Beyonce, Love On Top.
Chorus- “Baby it’s you/ You’re the one I love/ You’re the one I need/ You’re the only one I see/ Come on baby it’s you/ You’re the one that gives your all/ You’re the one I can always call/ When I need to make everything stop/ Finally you put my love on top”
2. Britney Spears, Baby One More Time. Chorus- "My loneliness is killing me (and I)/ I must confess I still believe (still believe)/ When I'm not with you I lose my mind/ Give me a sign/ Hit me, baby, one more time"
3. TLC, No Scrubs. Chorus- “So no, I don't want your number/ No, I don't want to give you mine and/ No, I don't want to meet you nowhere/ No, I don't want none of your time and/ No, I don't want no scrubs/ A scrub is a guy that can't get no love from me/ Hangin' out the passenger side of his best friend's ride/ Trying to holla at me”
Current Hits: Here are some songs on the top 100 chart that meet the time quota.
Lizzo, Truth Hurts.
Chorus- “Why men great ‘til they gotta be great?/ Don’t text me, tell it straight to my
face/ Best friend sat me down in the salon chair/ Shampoo press, get you out of my
hair/ Fresh photos with the bomb lighting/ New man on the Minnesota Vikings/ Truth hurts, needed something more exciting/ Bom bom bi dom bi dum bum bay”
Harry Styles, Adore You.
Chorus- “Walk in your rainbow paradise (Paradise)/ Strawberry lipstick state of mind
(State of mind)/ I get so lost inside your eyes/ Would you believe it? Honey (Ah-ah-ah)/ I'd walk through fire for you/ Just let me adore you/ Oh, honey (Ah-ah-ah)/ I'd walk through fire for you/ Just let me adore you”
Doja Cat, Say So. Chorus- “Day to night to morning, keep with me in the moment/ I'd let you had I known it, why don't you say so?/ Didn't even notice, no punches left to roll with/ You got to keep me focused, you want it, say so/ Day to night to morning, keep with me in the moment/ I'd let you had I known it, why don't you say so?/ Didn't even notice, no punches left to roll with/ You got to keep me focused, you want it, say so"
Show Tunes: For Broadway fans, we have thrown in some songs from some of the most popular shows.
Mamma Mia, Mamma Mia.
Chorus- “Mamma mia, here I go again/ My my, how can I resist ya?/ Mamma mia, does it show again/ My my, just how much I missed ya?/ Yes, I’ve been broken-hearted/ Blue since the day we parted/ Why why, did I ever let you go?”
Wicked, Popular. Chorus- “Popular/ You’re gonna be popular/ I’ll teach you the proper ploys/ When you talk to boys/ Little ways to flirt and flounce/ Oh! I’ll show you what shoes to wear/ How to fix your hair/ Everything that really counts to be/ Popular/ I’ll help you be popular”
Hamilton, My Shot. Chorus- “I am not throwing away my shot/ I am not throwing away my shot/ Hey yo, I'm just like my country/ I'm young, scrappy, and hungry/ And I'm not throwing away my shot/ I'mma get scholarship to King's College/ I probably shouldn't brag, but dag, I amaze and astonish/ The problem is I got a lot of brains, but no polish/ I gotta holler just to be heard/ With every word I drop knowledge”
We hope these songs will keep you slightly more joyful during this stressful time. There is also a handwashing song generator if you want to convert your favorite song. Just type in the song and artist and you’ll get an infographic with lyrics that make up the twenty seconds you’ll need to make sure your hands are squeaky clean. Find it here: https://washyourlyrics.com/.