The CDC says to wash your hands for 20 seconds. 9 Atlanta songs to help you keep time.

If you can sing the chorus of "Ms. Jackson," you're washing your hands for long enough

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Outkast TRL 2003
How do you know if you’re washing your hands for long enough? Just think of the chorus from Ms. Jackson.

Photograph by Scott Gries/Getty Images

Ever since Governor Brian Kemp’s 10 p.m. press conference on Monday night announcing that Atlanta had its first official cases of COVID-19—a Fulton County father who had recently traveled to Italy and his son—the city’s collective anxiety has been much higher. But as we’ve heard time and time again from the CDC, one of the best things you can do to protect yourself from the coronavirus is wash your hands often. And no, this isn’t just flick on the tap, throw your hands under there for two seconds, and wipe off the water on your jeans. The CDC recommends rinsing your hands, lathering up, scrubbing with soap for at least 20 seconds, and then rising off before drying. How do you know if its been 20 seconds? The common suggestion is to hum (or sing in your head) the “Happy Birthday” song twice.

But 20 seconds is way, way longer than you think it is. If you’re not used to scrubbing for that long, it feels odd. And “Happy Birthday” is a fairly annoying thing to hum. Instead, allow us to offer these Atlanta-based suggestions, all about 20-seconds long and ready for your hand-washing enjoyment.

OutKast’s “Ms. Jackson
I’m sorry Ms. Jackson (oh)
I am for real
Never meant to make your daughter cry
I apologize a trillion times
I’m sorry Ms. Jackson (oh)
I am for real
(x2)

TLC’s “No Scrubs
No, I don’t want no scrubs
A scrub is a guy that can’t get no love from me
Hanging out the passenger’s side
Of his best friend’s ride
Trying to holler at me
(x2)

Jermaine Dupri’s “Welcome to Atlanta
Welcome to Atlanta where the players play
And we ride on them things like every day
Big beats, hit streets, see gangsters roaming
And parties don’t stop til’ eight in the morning
(x2)

Usher’s “U Remind Me
You remind me of a girl
That I once knew
See her face whenever I
I look at you
You won’t believe all of the things
She put me through
This is why I just can’t get with you

Atlanta United’s “We are the A” chant
We are the A (clap x4)
From way down South (clap x4)
And we are here (clap x4)
Rowdy and proud (clap x4)
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la
(Don’t actually clap while washing your hands—it gets soap everywhere.)

Blu Cantrell’s “Hit ’em Up Style
Hey ladies, when your man wanna get buckwild
Just go back and hit ’em up style
Put your hands on his cash and
Spend it to the last dime
For all the hard times
Oh, when you go then everything goes
From the crib to the ride and the clothes
So you better let him know that if he messed up
You gotta hit ’em up

Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road
Just doing the chorus of this viral hit isn’t long enough (about 14 seconds), but with the bridge and the first line of the chorus, you’ll be right on time.
Can’t nobody tell me nothing
You can’t tell me nothing
Can’t nobody tell me nothing
You can’t tell me nothing
Yeah, I’m gonna take my horse to the old town road
I’m gonna ride ’til I can’t no more

Silentó’s “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)
Now watch me whip (kill it)
Now watch me nae nae (okay!)
Now watch me whip whip
Watch me nae nae (want me do it?)
Now watch me whip (kill it)
Watch me nae nae (okay)
Now watch me whip whip
Watch me nae nae (can you do it?)
Now watch me
Ooh watch me, watch me
Ooh watch me, watch me
Ooh watch me, watch me
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
(We recommend avoiding dancing while washing—again, soap everywhere.)

Migos’s “Stir Fry
In the kitchen, wrist twisting like a stir fry (whip it)
In the kitchen, wrist twisting like a stir fry (whip it)
In the kitchen, wrist twisting like a stir fry (whip it)
In the kitchen, wrist twisting like a stir fry (woof)
(x2)

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