How to Know You're Washing Your Hands the Right Way

Hand washing effectively helps keep you and your community safe.

We know now, perhaps more than ever, how important personal hygiene is—specifically, washing your hands. And believe it or not, there’s a right and a wrong way to do it.

The Importance of Hand Washing

Germs and viruses tend to stay on surfaces for a long time, and we often pick them up during our daily activities without realizing it. However, when we wash our hands often and well, we lower the chance of getting and spreading respiratory infections like the flu and common cold.

For those with weak immune systems or those working in healthcare, handwashing is especially important—it’s a key (and easy!) way we can help control disease for the good of greater public health.

When we practice good hand hygiene, it’s a small way of showing we care about our communities.

When to Wash

Knowing when to wash your hands is just as important as knowing how to wash them. Here are some of the most important times to scrub up:

• Before, during, and after preparing food
• Before eating
• After using the toilet
• After changing a diaper
• After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• Before and after treating a cut or wound
• After touching animals or their waste
• After handling garbage

The Basics of Hand Washing

First, use clean (ideally warm or hot) water to wet your hands. Then, apply enough soap to create a nice lather. Remember, you don't need antibacterial soap; regular soap is effective (and FDA-approved) at getting rid of dirt and germs.

Be sure to rub your hands together hard for at least 20 seconds, covering every part—palms, back of hands, between your fingers, under your nails, and wrists. Lastly, rinse your hands well under clean water until all the soap is gone.