Hand washing is the act of cleaning one's hands with soap or handwash and water to remove viruses/bacteria/microorganisms, dirt, grease, and other harmful or unwanted substances stuck to the hands.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends washing hands for at least 20 seconds before and after certain activities.
These include the five critical times during the day when washing hands with soap is important to reduce faecal-oral transmission of disease: after using the toilet (for urination, defecation, menstrual hygiene), after cleaning a child's bottom (changing diapers), before feeding a child, before eating and before/after preparing food or handling raw meat, fish, or poultry.
Drying the washed hands is part of the process as wet and moist hands are more easily recontaminated.
Hand hygiene is key to preventing the spread of infectious diseases in home and everyday life settings.
