Hand Hygiene: How to Keep Your Hands Clean and Healthy

Your hands touch a lot every day—door handles, phones, groceries. Germs hitch a ride and can make you or others sick. Good hand hygiene is the easiest thing you can do to cut infections, and it doesn’t take special tools or a lot of time.

When and how to wash your hands

Wash with soap and water whenever your hands are visibly dirty, after using the bathroom, before eating, after coughing or sneezing, after caring for someone who’s ill, and after handling garbage or raw food. Aim for about 20 seconds of scrubbing—hum the "Happy Birthday" song twice to time it if that helps.

Follow these steps each time: wet hands, apply enough soap to cover all surfaces, scrub palms, backs of hands, between fingers, under nails, and thumbs for 20 seconds, rinse thoroughly, and dry with a clean towel or air dryer. Clean under and around nails where dirt and germs hide. If you wear rings, roll them while washing to reach skin beneath.

When to use hand sanitizer and how to pick one

Hand sanitizer is handy when soap and water aren’t available. Choose an alcohol-based sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Use enough to keep your hands wet for about 20 seconds, rubbing all over until dry. Note: sanitizers don’t work well on greasy or visibly dirty hands, and they don’t remove certain chemicals like pesticides.

Keep small sanitizer bottles in your bag or car for times on the go. At home, use pump bottles to avoid cross-contamination from shared jars.

Skin care matters. Frequent washing and sanitizer use can dry your skin, causing cracks where germs hide. Use a mild, fragrance-free soap and apply a simple moisturizer after washing, especially at night. If your job requires frequent hand hygiene, carry a travel hand cream and apply it during breaks.

Gloves are not a substitute for clean hands. Wear gloves when required for medical tasks, cleaning, or handling chemicals—but change them between tasks and wash hands after removing gloves. Never reuse disposable gloves.

Small habits add up. Keep nails short, clean your phone and high-touch items daily, and avoid touching your face. Teach kids the 20-second habit with songs or timers—making it fun helps it stick. At workplaces, place soap, sanitizer, and towels where people actually use them: near breaks, restrooms, and entrances.

Hand hygiene is low-effort and high-impact. A quick, proper wash or the right sanitizer can stop germs before they spread. Make it a routine, and you’ll protect yourself and the people around you without a lot of fuss.