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Nutrition and daily life

Handwashing: the simplest protection

Most germs reach us through our hands: from a door handle, a phone or raw meat to the mouth, the eyes or a catheter. When immunity is weak, washing hands properly matters especially. This topic explains when, how and for how long to wash, when hand sanitizer is enough, and how to protect your skin.

Last updated: ~5 min read
On a dark navy background, a sink with a running tap, a bar of soap and a small sand timer beside it, no hands visible.
Figure 1.Soap, running water and at least 20 seconds are the three keys to handwashing.

01Short answer

Handwashing is the simplest and most effective protection against infection. Wash your hands especially before eating and preparing food, after touching raw meat, fish or eggs, after using the toilet, after blowing your nose or coughing, after touching animals or rubbish, when you come home, and before touching a catheter or port. The right way: wet your hands with clean water, apply soap, rub palms, backs of hands, between the fingers, thumbs and under the nails for at least 20 seconds, rinse, and dry with a clean towel. When soap and water are not available, use a sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, but if hands are visibly dirty or there is diarrhea, soap and water work better. Family and visitors should wash their hands too.

02Simple explanation

Our hands touch hundreds of surfaces each day. Germs are invisible, but they pass easily from hands to the mouth, the eyes and food.

When neutrophils are low, these germs can cause more serious infections than usual. So handwashing matters for the patient, for family members who cook, and for visitors.

Soap does not so much kill germs as lift them off the skin, and water rinses them away. That is why rubbing and rinsing matter — just holding your hands under water is not enough.

The most often missed places are the thumbs, fingertips, under the nails, between the fingers and the wrists. These need careful rubbing.

Frequent washing can dry the skin. Cracks are a doorway for germs. An unscented moisturizer protects the skin.

03Scientific explanation

CDC’s five steps: wet your hands with clean running water, turn off the tap and apply soap; lather the palms, backs of the hands, between the fingers and under the nails; scrub for at least 20 seconds; rinse under running water; dry with a clean towel or air dryer. When soap and water are not available, a sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol is used.

Key moments: the CDC advises washing hands before, during and after preparing food, before and after eating, after using the toilet, after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing, after touching animals or pet food, after touching rubbish, and before and after caring for a wound.

Hand hygiene in health care: WHO guidance treats hand hygiene as the cornerstone of preventing infections in hospitals. Patients and families may politely ask health workers to clean their hands — it is a normal part of care.

During cancer treatment: according to the American Cancer Society and the NCI, cleaning your hands is the most important thing people with weakened immunity can do to prevent infection. In food safety, too, the first step is washing hands.

04What happens in the body?

When should you wash?

Before eating and preparing food; after touching raw meat, fish, eggs or unwashed vegetables; after using the toilet or changing a nappy; after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing; after touching animals or rubbish; when you come home; before taking medicines and before touching a catheter, port or wound.

How should you wash?

Wet, apply soap, rub palms together, then the backs of the hands, between the fingers, the thumbs, the fingertips and under the nails. At least 20 seconds — about two rounds of “Happy Birthday”. Rinse under running water, dry with a clean towel, and turn off the tap with the towel.

On a dark navy background, a translucent hand with the thumb, fingertips and spaces between the fingers highlighted in soft golden light.
Figure 2.The most often missed places: thumbs, fingertips, between the fingers and under the nails.

When is sanitizer enough?

When there is no soap and water — travelling, in hospital, in public places — a sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol is a good alternative. Use enough to cover your palm and rub until your hands are dry. If hands are visibly dirty or greasy, after the toilet and during diarrhea, soap and water are more reliable.

On a dark navy background, a translucent soap dispenser, a sanitizer bottle and a folded clean towel on the edge of a sink, no writing.
Figure 3.When there is no soap, alcohol sanitizer helps; a clean personal towel matters too.

Towels, nails, rings

Everyone should have their own towel, changed often; do not mix up kitchen towels and hand towels. Keep nails short and clean, and avoid artificial nails. Germs can linger under rings and bracelets — take them off when washing or wash well underneath.

Protect your skin

Frequent washing dries the skin. Lukewarm (not hot) water, mild soap, gentle drying and an unscented moisturizer help. If cracks, redness or sores do not heal, tell your team — skin needs extra protection when immunity is weak.

Family, visitors and health workers

Everyone at home follows the same rule. Asking visitors to wash their hands when they arrive is not rude. In hospital, it is also fine to ask a health worker whether they have cleaned their hands. Children can learn handwashing as a game.

05Proper handwashing in four steps

Wet, lather, scrub, rinse and dry.

Wet and lather — Clean water, enough soap.1Wet and latherClean water, enough soap.
Scrub — At least 20 seconds, every area.2ScrubAt least 20 seconds, every area.
Rinse — Under running water.3RinseUnder running water.
Dry — A clean, personal towel.4DryA clean, personal towel.
Fewer germsInfection risk goes down.
For the whole familyEveryone follows one rule.
A simple habitSeveral times a day, every day.

06Soap and water or sanitizer? (simplified)

SituationBest choiceNote
Before eating and cookingSoap and waterAt least 20 seconds
After touching raw meatSoap and waterClean surfaces too
After the toilet, during diarrheaSoap and waterSanitizer works less well on some germs
Travelling, no soapSanitizer with at least 60% alcoholRub until dry
Before touching a catheter or portSoap and water or sanitizerFollow your team’s instructions
Hands visibly dirtySoap and waterSanitizer does not remove dirt

* The table is general information. Your team may have special rules for catheter and port care.

07Key terms

Hand hygiene
Washing hands with soap or cleaning them with sanitizer.
Alcohol-based sanitizer
A hand cleaner containing at least 60% alcohol.
Germ
A bacterium, virus or fungus too small to see.
Neutropenia
A low level of neutrophils, the cells that fight infection.
Cross-contamination
Germs passing to food via hands, surfaces or utensils.
Moisturizer
A cream that prevents dry, cracked skin.
Catheter
A thin tube placed in a vein.
Port
A device placed under the skin for access to a vein.

08Key points

  • Handwashing is the simplest protection.
  • Always wash before eating and cooking.
  • Soap and water after the toilet.
  • Scrub for at least 20 seconds.
  • Do not forget thumbs and nails.
  • No soap? Use 60% alcohol sanitizer.
  • Moisturize and protect against cracks.
  • Family and visitors wash their hands too.

09Frequently asked questions

Is hot water better than cold?

According to the CDC, both warm and cold water work. What matters is soap, scrubbing time and rinsing. Very hot water dries the skin.

Do I need antibacterial soap?

Ordinary soap is enough for everyday use. What matters is the right technique and time.

Do gloves replace handwashing?

No. Hands still need washing after gloves come off. Gloves are usually not needed in daily life, but they are useful for gardening or cleaning.

How do I ask visitors to wash their hands?

Simply and kindly: “My immunity is low at the moment — could you wash your hands first, please?” Most people are understanding.

Should I clean my phone?

A phone is touched often. Wiping it from time to time with disinfecting wipes as the manufacturer recommends is useful, but washing your hands matters most.

How can I teach my child to wash their hands?

Do it together, sing a song, play with the foam. Praise your child for washing. A small step stool by the sink helps.

10Questions for your doctor

Take these questions to your appointment. The ones you save are collected on the “My questions” page and stay on this device only.

  1. Is hot water better than cold?

  2. Do I need antibacterial soap?

  3. Do gloves replace handwashing?

  4. How do I ask visitors to wash their hands?

  5. Should I clean my phone?

  6. How can I teach my child to wash their hands?

My questions

12Sources

  1. CDC. Preventing Food Poisoning
  2. World Health Organization (WHO). Hand hygiene
  3. World Health Organization (WHO). WHO guidelines on hand hygiene in health care
  4. World Health Organization (WHO). World Hand Hygiene Day
  5. NHS. How to wash your hands
  6. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Hand Hygiene and Preventing Infection
  7. American Cancer Society. Preventing Infections in People with Cancer
  8. National Cancer Institute (NCI). Infection and Neutropenia during Cancer Treatment
  9. American Cancer Society. Food Safety During Cancer Treatment
  10. NHS. Food poisoning
Medical disclaimerThis information is for educational purposes only and does not replace medical advice.
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