# Wash your hands at key moments

Published by Pawel Jozefiak. [About this project](https://healthy100.jock.pl/about/), [How we check sources](https://healthy100.jock.pl/methodology/)

- Canonical: https://healthy100.jock.pl/wash-hands-at-key-times/
- Language: en
- First published: 2026-09-27
- Evidence checked: 2026-09-28, using AI-assisted source verification
- Clinical review: Not clinically reviewed
- Number 48 of 100 in the list: https://healthy100.jock.pl/#wash-hands-at-key-times

Soap and water help stop germs spreading from hands to your mouth, eyes and other people.

**The number:** Handwashing can prevent about 30% of diarrhea related sicknesses and about 20% of respiratory infections ([CDC, 2024](https://www.cdc.gov/clean-hands/data-research/facts-stats/))

## The evidence

- Evidence grade: A. Grade A: meta-analyses of randomised trials, or a major guideline consensus.
- Basis: CDC synthesis of handwashing studies and practical prevention guidance
- Impact: 62/100. The impact score is an editorial prioritization heuristic for the general list, not a validated estimate of your personal risk.

## Why it matters

Hands transfer germs after toilet use, contact with illness and handling contaminated surfaces. CDC estimates handwashing can prevent about 30% of diarrheal illnesses. The benefit comes from washing at useful times and covering the whole hand, rather than repeatedly disinfecting everything around you.

## How to do it

1. Wash before preparing or eating food, after the toilet and after changing nappies.
2. Also wash after blowing your nose and when caring for someone with vomiting or diarrhea.
3. Use soap and running water, scrub all hand surfaces for at least 20 seconds, then rinse and dry.
4. If soap and water are unavailable, use sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol; choose soap and water when hands are visibly dirty.

## Putting it into practice

### Start now

- 1 minute: Wash your hands now the full way: wet, soap, scrub backs, between fingers and under nails for 20 seconds, rinse and dry.
- 5 minutes: Check that the sinks where you cook and use the toilet have soap and a clean way to dry hands, and keep sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol for when you're out.
- 15 minutes: If you care for children, teach them the full wash: sing Happy Birthday twice while scrubbing backs, fingers and nails, then rinse and dry.

### What it looks like

- After using the toilet, wash with soap, scrub for at least 20 seconds, rinse and dry.
- Before making lunch, clean the backs of your hands, between fingers and under nails as well as your palms.

### Common mistakes

- A quick rinse misses the cleaning step, so use soap and scrub all surfaces for at least 20 seconds.
- Sanitizer is not the best choice for visibly dirty hands, so use soap and running water.

### A structured start

**Make the useful washes easy**

1. Make soap and a clean way to dry hands available where you wash.
2. Link washing to meals, toilet use, nappies and caring for someone with vomiting or diarrhea.
3. When soap and water are unavailable, use sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol; choose soap and water for visible dirt.

### Trusted how-to guides

- [About Handwashing](https://www.cdc.gov/clean-hands/about/), CDC
- [How to wash your hands](https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/best-way-to-wash-your-hands/), NHS

## Sources

- [Handwashing Facts](https://www.cdc.gov/clean-hands/data-research/facts-stats/), CDC, 2024 (Tier 1 guideline)
- [About Handwashing](https://www.cdc.gov/clean-hands/about/), CDC, 2024 (Tier 1 guideline)

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General health information, not a diagnosis or an individual treatment plan. Personalization changes the order of suggestions; it does not assess your medical risks. Follow the cautions and consult a qualified clinician when needed.

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Reuse: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/