Best Practice for washing hands

Handwashing is one of the simplest and most effective ways to prevent infections, including colds, flu, and foodborne illnesses. Here are the best practices for proper hand hygiene:

✅ When to Wash Your Hands

• Before and after preparing food

• Before eating

• After using the toilet

• After coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose

• After touching garbage, money, or shared surfaces

• Before and after caring for someone who is ill

• After handling pets or cleaning up after them

🧼 Best Technique for Handwashing (WHO & CDC recommended, ~20 seconds)

1. Wet hands with clean running water (warm or cold).

2. Apply soap and lather well.

3. Scrub all surfaces:

   
   

   • Palms

   • Backs of hands

   • Between fingers

   • Under fingernails

   • Thumbs

   • Wrists

4. 
   

5. Scrub for at least 20 seconds (sing “Happy Birthday” twice as a timer).

6. Rinse thoroughly under clean running water.

7. Dry hands with a clean towel, tissue, or air dry.

8. If possible, use the towel to turn off the tap (to avoid re-contamination).

🚫 Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Rinsing too quickly (less than 10 seconds).

• Skipping soap or using only water.

• Not cleaning under fingernails and between fingers.

• Re-contaminating hands by touching dirty surfaces after washing.

🧴 If Soap and Water Aren’t Available

• Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

• Rub all surfaces of your hands until completely dry (~20 seconds).

• Not effective on visibly dirty or greasy hands—use soap and water in those cases.

👉 Proper handwashing is a first-line defense against infections in both healthcare and everyday life.

How to wash hands to avoid infections.