Hand washing is a deceptively simple task that can prevent the spread of infection. The Nemours Foundation reports that good hand washing techniques are the first line of defense against the spread of many illnesses, including the common cold, the flu, meningitis, infectious diarrhea, hepatitis A and bronchiolitis. Taking the time to wash hands properly and avoiding skimping on soap or water can help you ensure that your hands are as clean as they can possible be before you prepare food or interact with family members.
Step 1
Run your hands under clean, running water. Use warm water if it is available, but make sure that the water is not hot enough to burn your skin.
Step 2
Apply soap to your hands, making sure to cover all skin surfaces. You can use liquid, powder or bar soap for hand washing.
Step 3
Rub your hands together until the soap forms a lather on your skin. Continue rubbing for 15 or 20 seconds. The Nemours Foundation recommends paying particular attention to the areas between the fingers, the wrists and under the fingernails.
Step 4
Hold your hands under running water and rinse the soap suds from your skin. Direct the water to the area between your fingers to ensure removal of all suds.
Step 5
Dry your hands with a paper towel, clean cloth towel or air dryer. If you are using a paper towel, use the towel to turn off the faucet to avoid getting germs on your newly washed hands.
Tips and Warnings
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends washing hands before preparing food, after handling uncooked meat and poultry, before eating, after using the bathroom, after changing a diaper, after handling garbage, before and after treating a wound, after touching an animal or animal waste and after sneezing, blowing your nose or coughing. If soap isn’t available, you can clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Apply the sanitizer to your hands and rub your hands together until dry.
- Using antibacterial soap to wash your hands may actually do more harm than good. MayoClinic.com reports that the use of antibacterial soap may lead to the development of bacteria that are resistant to the soap’s antimicrobial agents, making it more difficult to kill those germs in the future.
Things You'll Need
- Soap
- Cloth or paper towel
- Hand sanitizer
