This document provides instructions on proper hand washing to prevent sickness. It recommends washing hands before, during, and after preparing food; before eating and after caring for someone sick; before and after treating cuts or wounds; after using the toilet or changing diapers; and after contact with animals, garbage, or blowing your nose/coughing. The instructions are to wet hands and apply soap, rub hands together for 20 seconds while scrubbing all surfaces, and then rinse and dry hands thoroughly.

1. DID YOU WASH
YOUR HANDS?
After nose,
W ashing your hands is one of the
most important steps you can blowing your
Before,
during, and after
take to prevent becoming sick. coughing, or
sneezing
preparing food WHEN
• Before, during, and after preparing
food
Before
• Before eating food
• Before and after caring for
someone who is sick
After animal,
touching an
eating food
• Before and after treating a cut animal feed, or
or wound animal waste
• After using the toilet
• After changing diapers or cleaning
Before up a child who has used the toilet
• After blowing your nose, coughing,
and after treating
a cut or wound
or sneezing
• After touching an animal, animal
After
touching garbage
feed, or animal waste
• After touching garbage
HOW
Make
Wet
• Wet your hands with clean running
your hands
water (warm or cold) and apply soap.
Sure to
Rub together
• Rub your hands together to lather
the soap and scrub them well; be
sure to scrub the backs of your
hands, between your fingers, and
your hands
under your nails. to lather the soap
• Continue rubbing your hands
for at least 20 seconds. Need a
timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday”
Apply
song from beginning to end twice.
soap
• Rinse your hands well under
running water.
Dry using
your hands
• Dry your hands using a clean towel a clean towel or
or air dry them.
air dry them
Source: Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention