Using liquid hand soap is a simple yet effective way to clean your hands and remove germs.
Simple Steps for Effective Handwashing
Washing your hands properly with liquid soap and water involves a few key steps to ensure you effectively remove dirt and microbes.
Here is a breakdown of the process:
- Wet Your Hands: Start by wetting your hands under clean, running water (warm or cold).
- Apply Soap: Apply a sufficient amount of liquid hand soap to your hands. One pump is usually enough.
- Lather Up: Rub your hands together to create a lather. Be sure to cover all surfaces of your hands, including the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
- Scrub Thoroughly: Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. This allows the soap to break down grease and dirt and helps lift germs. This is part of the "cleaning the hands thoroughly" process.
- Rinse: Rinse your hands thoroughly under clean, running water after cleaning them thoroughly. Make sure all the soap is washed away.
- Dry: Dry hands thoroughly with paper towel. Air drying is also an option, but paper towels are often recommended in public settings to avoid touching surfaces.
- Turn Off Tap: Turn off the tap by using paper towel to wrap the faucet. This prevents re-contaminating your clean hands by touching the tap directly.
Why Proper Technique Matters
Following these steps ensures you remove as many germs as possible from your hands, reducing the spread of illness. The mechanical action of scrubbing combined with the soap helps to lift and wash away microorganisms.
Quick Reference: Handwashing Steps
For a quick guide, here are the steps:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1. Wet Hands | Use clean, running water. |
| 2. Apply Soap | Get enough liquid soap to cover hands. |
| 3. Lather | Rub hands together, covering all surfaces. |
| 4. Scrub | Scrub for at least 20 seconds (clean thoroughly). |
| 5. Rinse | Rinse thoroughly under running water (as mentioned in reference). |
| 6. Dry | Dry thoroughly with paper towel (as mentioned in reference). |
| 7. Turn Off Tap | Use paper towel to wrap faucet and turn off (as mentioned in reference). |
By incorporating thorough rinsing, drying with a paper towel, and using a paper towel to turn off the tap, you complete the handwashing process hygienically.
