WHO: How to handwash? With soap and water

Key Steps — Handwashing with soap and water — the WHO steps

The World Health Organization's official hand hygiene video. The checklist follows the WHO sequence exactly as demonstrated.

1. Wet your hands under clean running water, then turn off the tap.
2. Apply enough soap to cover all hand surfaces.
3. Rub palm to palm.
4. Rub the back of each hand with the palm of the other hand, fingers interlaced.
5. Rub palm to palm again, this time with the fingers interlaced.
6. Rub the backs of the fingers against the opposite palm, with the fingers locked together.
7. Clean each thumb by clasping it in the opposite palm and rotating.
8. Rub the fingertips in a circular motion in the opposite palm, and then swap hands.
9. Rinse the hands thoroughly under running water — the whole procedure takes about 40 to 60 seconds.
10. Dry with a clean single-use towel, and use the towel to turn off the tap so clean hands stay clean.

Steps summarise this demonstration for education. Always follow your institution's protocol. More Safety & Emergency Basics skills →