Hands-Washing

for Pre-Intermediate level

National English Centre (NEC)
 What Is Hands-Washing?

The rubbing together of all surfaces and

crevices of the hands using a soap or
chemical and water
 When Should Hands-Washing 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 procedures
• after handling contaminated equipment
 Why Do We Need to
Wash Our Hands?
• remove germs from the skin of your
hands
• prevent infection
• prevent the spread of infection
What do we need to wash
our hands?
Toilet paper or
Soap
single use towel

Running water
 The Steps
Steps Notes
Remove all jewelries Provides access to skin surfaces for

1 and roll up sleeves cleaning. Facilitates cleaning of fingers,

hands, and forearms

Water should flow from the least

contaminated to the most
2 Wet hands 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 Notes

3 Apply soap and

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

4 Rub hands palm to

palm in a circular
motion Friction mechanically removes
microorganisms from the skin
surface. Friction loosens dirt from

5 Rub the back of

hands using the
soiled areas. Special attention should
be provided to areas such as the
knuckles and fingernails, which are
opposing palm known to harbor organisms
 Steps Notes

6 Rub hands Palm to

palm with fingers
interlaced

7 Rub backs of fingers

to opposing palms
with fingers
interlocked

8 Rub rotationally the

thumb clasped in the
opposing palm
 Steps Notes

9 Rub rotationally the

fingertips on
opposing palm
the

10 Rinse with hands in the

down position
Flow of water rinses away dirt and
microorganisms.

11 Dry hands using towel

or tissue paper
Blotting reduces chapping of skin.
Drying from cleanest (hand) to least
clean area (forearms) prevents
transfer of microorganisms to
cleanest area
 Steps Notes
Prevents contamination of clean
12 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
Turn off the water faucet using tissue you investigate the water pressure
paper or your elbow and the faucet or the water lever.