Which sequence represents the correct order of handwashing steps?

• A. Wet hands, apply soap, scrub for at least 20 seconds, clean between fingers, under nails, rinse, dry with a disposable towel, and turn off faucet with the towel.
• B. Wet hands, rinse, soap, scrub for 5 seconds, dry, leave faucet on.
• C. Apply soap, wet hands, scrub for 20 seconds, rinse, dry.
• D. Soak hands, rub with sanitizer, air dry.

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is doing handwashing in the order that maximizes cleaning and minimizes recontamination. Start by wetting the hands with clean running water, then apply soap and rinse it into a rich lather. Scrub all hand surfaces for at least about 20 seconds, paying special attention to areas that harbor germs: between the fingers, under the nails, the backs of the hands, and the wrists. This mechanical action helps lift and remove microbes from the skin. After scrubbing, rinse your hands thoroughly to wash away the loosened germs and soap. Dry your hands with a disposable towel, and use that towel to turn off the faucet so you don’t pick up microbes from the faucet handle as you finish. This sequence—wet, soap, scrub for 20 seconds with full coverage, rinse, dry, and turn off the faucet with a towel—follows the best practices for effectively reducing hand contamination.

Rinsing before soaping, or scrubbing for only a few seconds, or leaving the faucet on, undermines the effectiveness because soap needs to be in contact with all surfaces to lift microbes, and insufficient scrubbing duration leaves microbes behind. Using sanitizer instead of soap and water isn’t the same process and isn’t a substitute when hands are visibly dirty; sanitizer is an alternative when soap and water aren’t available, and it requires rubbing until dry rather than following a washing sequence.