Washin

g
Hands

What Is Washing Hands?

The rubbing together of all surfaces
and crevices of the hands using a soap
or chemical and water;
A component of all types of isolation
precautions;
The most basic and effective infection
control measure that prevents and
controls the transmission of infectious
agents.

When Should Washing Hands be

Performed?

after arriving at work

before leaving work
between client contacts
Before applying and after removing
gloves
when hands are visibly soiled
Before and after eating
after excretion of body waste (urination
and defecation)
after contact with body fluids
before and after performing invasive

Why Do We Need to
Wash Our Hands?
remove
germs,
microorganisms,
transient
flora, and soiling from the
skin of your hands
prevent
infection
from
occurring

What do we need to
wash our hands?
Liqui
d
Soap

Toilet paper
or single use
towel
Running
water

The Steps
Steps

Remove
accessories, and
roll up sleeves
up

Wet
hands

Notes
Provides
access
to
skin
surfaces
for
cleaning.
Facilitates cleaning of fingers,
hands, and forearms

Water should flow from the

least contaminated to the most
contaminated areas of the
skin. Keep hands and forearms
in the down position with
elbows
straight.
Avoid
splashing water and touching
the sides of the sink

Steps

3
4
5

Apply soap and

Lather
thoroughly

Rub hands palm

to palm in a
circular motion

Rub right palm

over left dorsum
with
fingers
interlaced
and
vice versa

Notes
Lather facilitates removal of
microorganisms. Liquid soap
harbors less bacteria than bar
soap

Friction mechanically removes

microorganisms from the skin
surface. Friction loosens dirt
from soiled areas. Special
attention should be provided
to areas such as the knuckles
and fingernails, which are
known to harbor organisms

Steps

6
7
8

Rub hands Palm

to
palm
with
fingers interlaced
Rub
back
of
fingers
to
opposing palms
with
fingers
interlocked
Rotationally rub
left
thumb
clasped in right
palm and vice
versa

Notes

Steps

9
10
11

Notes

Rotationally
rub
left
palm
backwards
and
forwards with right
fingertips and vice
versa
Rinse with hands
in
the
down
position,
elbows
straight.
Dry thoroughly in
the direction of
fingers to wrist
and forearms

Flow of water rinses away dirt

and microorganisms.

Blotting reduces chapping of

skin. Drying from cleanest
(hand) to least clean area
(forearms) prevents transfer
of microorganisms to cleanest
area

Steps

12
Turn off the water faucet or
water lever using a clean, dry
paper towel, or your elbow

Notes
Prevents contamination of
clean hands by a less clean
faucet or water lever. When
you turn on the faucet or
water lever of a sink you are
unfamiliar with, you might get
wet! Be a little tentative the
first time until you investigate
the water pressure and the
faucet or the water lever.