- 1). Wash your hands and the elderly person's hands throughly with soap and water.
- 2). Soak the person's hands in a bowl of warm water for five minutes to soften the cuticles and loosen any dirt underneath the nails.
- 3). Scrub the tops and underneath of the nails with a flat nail brush or soft bristled toothbrush. This will remove dead skin and also loosen dirt from under the nails.
- 4). Pull apart a cotton ball and wrap the end of an orange stick in the cotton.
- 5). Push the orange stick underneath the nail and gently remove any dirt. Replace the cotton when necessary.
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