How to Wash Hands with Liquid Soap Properly
Master proper liquid soap handwashing technique to eliminate germs, ensure full skin coverage, and maintain hygiene with thorough lathering and drying.
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π§° Required Tools & Equipment
- β Sink with running water faucet
- β Liquid soap pump dispenser
- β Clean cloth towel or single-use paper towel
π¦ Materials & Supplies
- β Liquid hand soap
- β Running tap water
β οΈ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- β’ Check water temperature before wetting hands to prevent thermal burns from scalding hot water.
- β’ Angle the soap dispenser nozzle downward toward your palm to prevent accidental squirting into eyes.
- β’ Wipe up any spilled soap or water on the floor immediately to prevent slip hazards.
π Step-by-Step Guide (7 Steps)
Wet Hands with Running Water
Turn on the faucet to a comfortable lukewarm temperature. Place both hands entirely under the running stream until palms, backs, and wrists are completely saturated. Do not apply soap onto dry skin, as water is required to activate surfactants.
- β’ Both hands glistening wet from fingertips to 2 inches above wrists
- β’ Water draining freely without puddling in the sink
- β’ Applying soap directly to bone-dry skin
- β’ Only wetting the fingertips while leaving palms dry
Dispense Soap onto Palm
Press the dispenser pump once firmly to release a nickel-sized dollop (approx. 1.5 to 2 ml) of liquid soap into the center of one palm. Keep the receiving hand cupped directly under the nozzle. Avoid taking excess soap, which makes rinsing difficult and dries out skin.
- β’ A nickel-sized pool of liquid soap resting in the cupped palm
- β’ No soap dripped onto the sink counter or rim
- β’ Pumping 3-4 times, creating excess product that wastes soap
- β’ Holding palm too far below the nozzle, causing soap to splatter
Lather Palms and Scrub Backs of Hands
Rub your palms together in a circular motion away from running water until thick foam forms. Place your right palm over the back of your left hand, interlacing fingers, and rub vigorously back and forth. Switch hands and repeat on the right dorsal side.
- β’ White opaque foam covering both palms and the entire backs of both hands
- β’ Hands positioned away from the water stream while lathering
- β’ Lathering directly under running water, washing soap away instantly
- β’ Only rubbing palm to palm while ignoring the backs of hands
Clean Between Fingers and Thumbs
Bring palms together with fingers interlaced and rub side-to-side to scour finger webbings. Clasp your left thumb in your right palm and rotate firmly to scrub the full circumference of the thumb. Switch and repeat the rotational scrubbing on the right thumb.
- β’ Visible lather coating the webs between all 10 fingers
- β’ Thick foam wrapping around the entire base and tip of both thumbs
- β’ Skipping the thumbs, which are the most frequently contaminated hand area
- β’ Rushing through webbings without frictional contact
Scrub Fingertips, Nails, and Wrists
Cup your left palm and rub the fingertips and nails of your right hand in a circular motion against it to work soap under the nails. Switch hands and repeat. Finish by wrapping your hand around the opposite wrist and rotating, covering both wrists for the final seconds of the 20-second active scrub.
- β’ White lather worked under fingernails and around nail beds
- β’ Foam rings encircling both wrists 1-2 inches above the palm base
- β’ Neglecting nail beds where dirt collects most densely
- β’ Stopping the scrub well before the required 20-second minimum
Rinse All Soap Under Running Water
Place hands back under running water with fingertips pointed downward toward the drain. Rub palms, backs, webbings, and wrists under the stream until all bubbles and slick residue are completely washed away. Ensure no soapy film remains between fingers.
- β’ Clear water running off fingertips with zero soap bubbles or lather
- β’ Fingers pointing down toward the drain during rinse
- β’ Holding hands upward, letting dirty soapy water run down forearms
- β’ Leaving slippery soap residue between fingers
Dry Hands Thoroughly and Turn Off Faucet
Pat hands thoroughly with a clean, dry towel or single-use paper towel starting from fingers up to wrists until fully dry. If in a shared or public restroom, use the paper towel or your elbow to turn off the faucet handles to prevent re-contaminating clean hands.
- β’ Hands completely matte and dry with no moisture sheen
- β’ Faucet turned off using towel barrier or forearm
- β’ Leaving hands damp, which transfers bacteria 1,000 times faster than dry skin
- β’ Touching contaminated faucet handles directly with freshly washed bare hands
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by κΉνλ‘KIMPRO β watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Liquid hand soap? Liquid body wash or diluted mild dish soap
- No Paper towel? Freshly laundered cotton hand towel