Proper Handwashing
Proper Handwashing - Related Videos
09:02
A Method to Test the Efficacy of Handwashing for the Removal of Emerging Infectious Pathogens
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Cited by 9 •
2017
Handwashing is widely recommended to prevent infectious disease transmission. However, there is little evidence on which handwashing methods are most efficacious at removing infectious disease pathogens. We developed a method to assess the efficacy of handwashing methods at removing microorganisms.
01:18
Handwashing I: Introduction and Types of Equipment
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2023
Handwashing is hand hygiene with plain or antimicrobial soap and water to physically remove dirt, organic material, and microorganisms. However, it may not kill all microorganisms. The handwashing procedure requires a hand wash basin, liquid soap, paper towels, a domestic waste bin, and disposable nail cleaner as optional equipment. Hand wash basins in clinical areas should have faucets that can be turned on and off without using the hands; that is, they should be non-touch or lever-operated.
06:34
Proper Use of Autoclaves
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2023
Robert M. Rioux & Zhifeng Chen, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA Autoclaving is one of the most commonly used methods in the laboratory for the purpose of decontamination. The most common items decontaminated with an autoclave are those that contact biological samples (typically those containing microorganisms). An autoclave works by utilizing pressurized high temperature steam to kill microorganisms present in the loaded materials. Sufficient steam flow and heat transfer...
04:28
Proper Waste Disposal
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2023
Robert M. Rioux and Taslima A. Zaman, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania, PA Users are responsible for the proper disposal of the waste generated during their work. Improper waste disposal may severely endanger public health and/or the environment. The handling of hazardous waste must be regulated from the moment of generation until its disposal at its offsite final destination facility. A waste management system must be devised before work begins on any laboratory activity. Users...
05:37
Proper Personal Protective Equipment
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2023
Robert M. Rioux & William A Elliott, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA Hazards are many and varied in the laboratory, but the right choice of PPE can make the laboratory a safe place to work.
FAQs
Friction provides the mechanical action needed to loosen contaminants from the skin. Soap then helps lift oils and microorganisms, allowing running water to carry the loosened material away during rinsing. This sequence matters because cleaning depends on combining physical rubbing with soap-assisted removal rather than relying on water alone.
Soap is important because it helps lift oils and microbes from the hands, while rinsing removes the material that has been loosened. In clinical care, this combined action supports more complete cleaning than treating washing as a brief water-only step, particularly when contaminants remain attached to the skin.
Thorough drying is the final part of the handwashing process described for clinical care. It helps reduce transfer between hands and surfaces after washing, which is important when clinicians move among patients, equipment, and clinical environments. Drying therefore supports the infection prevention goal of the practice.
Clinicians should apply the practice before and after patient contact, using soap and running water, friction, rinsing, and thorough drying as connected steps. Applying it at both points helps address contamination acquired before care and possible transfer afterward, supporting safer movement through clinical encounters and environments.
By cleaning hands around patient contact, clinicians reduce the opportunity to carry contaminants between patients, equipment, and surrounding clinical environments. The practice therefore functions as a barrier against transfer within care activities. Its value extends beyond the individual washing event because consistent use helps protect vulnerable people and supports safer clinical practice.
It is especially relevant when clinicians interact with patients, handle or move around clinical equipment, or work within shared clinical environments. These points of contact create opportunities for contaminants to move across people and surfaces. Applying the technique before and after patient contact helps limit that movement and is particularly important for protecting vulnerable individuals in care.