---
title: Wash Your Hands Often
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/wash-your-hands-often-1944/
description: 'Restaurant hygiene poster: a smiling server in a blue uniform lathers her hands over a sink with a soap dispenser.'
section: Collection
---

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3. Wash Your Hands Often

[![Wash Your Hands Often, 1944 US poster: Restaurant hygiene poster](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/wash-your-hands-often-1944.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/wash-your-hands-often-1944.jpg)

# Wash Your Hands Often

Restaurant hygiene poster: a smiling server in a blue uniform lathers her hands over a sink with a soap dispenser, under the line '... for our patrons' health'. The instruction is 'Wash your hands often', with 'often' underlined. The technique is faint here: the friendly uniformed worker is the only persuasive device beside the plain instruction.

## Propaganda techniques used in this poster

[Plain folks](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/plain-folks/)

## Text on the object

Original (English) · read from the image, not independently checked

```
... for our patrons' health
Wash your hands often
[signature: Nydorf]
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, D. C.
Federal Security Agency, U. S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE
RS-1
[imprint: U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1944-O-568864]
```

[← Wash every piece carefully ... for our patrons' health](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/wash-every-piece-carefully-1944/) [We Have Gas... If You Have Legally Issued Coupons, Properly Endorsed →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/we-have-gas-black-market-opa-1944/)

## More propaganda examples that use the same techniques

- [Trois Tetes sous l'meme bonnet (three heads under the same cap)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/trois-tetes-sous-le-meme-bonnet-1789/) (France · 1789 · Plain folks, Glittering generalities)
- ['This log cabin was the first building erected on the North Bend', Whig print by T. Sinclair, 1840](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/harrison-north-bend-log-cabin-sinclair-1840/) (United States · 1840 · Plain folks, Transfer)
- [Treeing Coons (pro-Polk cartoon), 1844](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/treeing-coons-polk-1844/) (United States · 1844 · Name-calling, Plain folks)
- [Zachary Taylor, People's Candidate for President (Currier banner), 1848](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/taylor-fillmore-peoples-candidate-1848/) (United States · 1848 · Plain folks, Glittering generalities)
- ['Little Mac.' (from the Democratic presidential campaign songster)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/little-mac-song-sheet-feeks-1864/) (United States · 1864 · Bandwagon, Plain folks)
- [The peoples' choice, H. Greeley G. Brown](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/peoples-choice-greeley-brown-1872/) (United States · 1872 · Bandwagon, Plain folks)
- [The working-man's banner. For President, Ulysses S. Grant, 'The Galena Tanner.' For Vice-President, Henry Wilson, 'The Natick Shoemaker.'](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/working-mans-banner-grant-1872/) (United States · 1872 · Plain folks, Transfer)
- [The Chappaqua farmer](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/chappaqua-farmer-1872/) (United States · Jul 1872 · Plain folks, Glittering generalities)
