Gloves provide a protective barrier against germs that cause infections. Use gloves made of disposable latex. If you’re allergic to latex, use vinyl gloves.
- Wearing gloves does not replace the need to wash your hands. Latex and vinyl gloves are a good barrier, but they may not be completely non-porous.
- Wearing gloves reduces contamination, but does not eliminate it.
- If the gloves become contaminated while you are wearing them, be sure to remove them before touching clean surfaces.
Disposable gloves should be worn:
- When contact with blood or blood-containing fluids is likely, particularly if the caregiver’s hands have open cuts or sores. For instance, when providing first aid or changing a diaper with bloody diarrhea.
- When cleaning surfaces contaminated with blood or body fluids, such as large amounts of vomit or feces.
For added protection, wear gloves when changing the diaper of a child with diarrhea or a diagnosed gastrointestinal disease. Wearing gloves for routine diaper changing is optional.
If your skin does come into contact with blood or other body fluids, immediately and thoroughly wash the contaminated skin.
How to Use Gloves
- Remove and dispose of gloves properly after contact with a contaminated surface and before touching a clean surface.
- Gloves should never be used as a substitute for handwashing.
- Wash your hands immediately after removing and disposing of gloves.
How to Remove Gloves
- Pull off the glove by pinching the outside of the glove worn on one hand with the other hand on which you are still wearing a glove.
- Pinch the glove near the wrist, and pull the glove off so it ends up inside-out.
- Then insert one or two fingers of the ungloved hand inside the glove of the still-gloved hand, and pull off the second glove from the inside, ending up with its inside out also.