Clean Your Hands! Poster

This 11x17 poster shows the steps for washing hands with soap and water or cleaning with alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

• Download a print version of this document:
  Clean Your Hands! Poster (PDF)

How to wash your hands with soap and water:

• Use soap and warm, running water.
• Keep fingers pointing down.
• Rub hands vigorously for 20 seconds. Wash all surfaces:
• Backs of hands
• Wrists
• Between fingers
• Tips of fingers
• Thumbs
• Under fingernails
• Dry vigorously with paper or clean cloth towel.
• Turn off faucet with towel and open door with towel.

How it works:

• The soap suspends the dirt and soils.
• The friction motion helps pull dirt and greasy or oily soils free from the skin.
• Warm running water washes away suspended dirt and soils that trap germs.
• Final friction of wiping hands removes more germs.

How to clean your hands with a alcohol-based handrub:

• Apply a dime sized amount of handrub gel to the palm of one hand or use a alcohol- based handrub wipe.
• Rub hands together covering all surfaces of hands and fingers until handrub is absorbed.

How they work:

• Act quickly to kill microorganisms
• Reduce bacterial counts on hands

Wash your hands with soap and water when your hands are visibly soiled. If soap and water is not available, use alcohol-based handrub (wipes or gel).

Food handlers in restaurants, schools, delis and grocery stores must wash their hands with soap and water before applying hand sanitizers.
[Minn Rules Chap. 4626.0070 - 4626.0085]