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Salmonella

Handwashing Instructions

The proper way to wash your hands is as follows:

  • Wet your hands with clean running water and apply soap. Use warm water if it is available.
  • Rub hands together to make a lather and scrub all surfaces, making sure to clean between fingers and under fingernails.
  • Continue rubbing hands for 20 seconds, or about the time it takes to sing the“ABC’s”
  • Rinse hands well under running water.
  • Dry your hands using a paper towel or air dryer. If possible, use your paper towel to turn off the faucet.
  • Always use soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.

If soap and clean water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to clean your hands.

  • Apply product to the palm of one hand.
  • Rub hands together.

Rub the product over all surfaces of hands and fingers until hands are dry.

Page last modified: January 23, 2009
Content Source: National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases