Handwashing has taken center stage as one of the most important activities that we can do to prevent Covid-19 and a host of other potential illnesses. Good handwashing practice can begin as soon as possible. When your child is a baby, we wash their hands for them. When they start walking, we can start teaching them to wash their hands with some assistance. When they become toddlers and more independent, we can teach them to wash their hands on their own. There is a myriad of instructions online on how to wash your hands properly. Most recommend washing for 20 seconds (singing Happy Birthday twice), making sure to get between the fingers, under the nails, cleaning the thumbs, and washing past your wrists.

But what if they can’t reach the faucet. This is where AqueDuck comes in. In the past the only option to help kids reach the faucet was to get a stool. While that is still a good option, having and Aqueduck Faucet Extender makes the job even easier and fun! While stools are useful, they can also be dangerous. You are putting your child on an elevated platform after all. Smaller children will need a stool and an Aqueduck but eventually, the stool will not be needed. This is a much safer alternative. When we invented the world’s first faucet extender, one of the most frequently asked questions was, “How do they (the children) turn on the faucet?” Well we answered that question by inventing The Aqueduck Faucet Extender’s companion product, the Aqueduck Handle Extender. The Aqueduck Handle Extender comes in two versions, one for the 2-handle style faucets, with separate hot and cold handles (which is more predominant in the USA) and one for the single handle faucet.

We are living in unprecedented times. One of the most important things we can do now is to wash our hands properly. The importance of handwashing can be instilled from a very early age. Proper handwashing techniques and when to wash hands should be taught to children. Handwashing should be done when coming home from school, after using the restroom, before meals, after petting animals, after sneezing or coughing, etc. The list may seem long but it will be come second nature as these practices become habit. Stay safe and healthy out there. Wash your hands often!

by Susanna Lee

Susanna Lee is the mother of three teenage boys who wash their hands frequently. She is also the founder and inventor of the Aqueduck. The inspiration for the Aqueduck came on a trip to Disneyland when the boys were young. She had to constantly take the boys to wash their hands because while Disneyland may be the “Happiest Place on Earth” it may also be one of the germiest. She had to struggle to lift each of the three boys up to the sink, precariously hold them up and try to help them reach the faucet with one arm while getting soap and water with the other. Susanna was inspired her to come up with a better solution. On the drive back to the Bay Area, ideas danced around in her brain. Eventually, the ideas turned into action and the Aqueduck was born, Susanna’s fourth baby.