Employees should scrub their hands with soap for at least 20 seconds. That’s the standard set by the CDC and echoed by the FDA for food service workers. But the full process, from turning on the faucet to drying your hands, takes closer to 40 to 60 seconds when done properly.
Why 20 Seconds Is the Minimum
The 20-second figure isn’t arbitrary. Studies show that scrubbing for this duration physically destroys germs and lifts both harmful bacteria and chemical residues off the skin. Shorter washes leave significantly more pathogens behind. The classic trick of singing “Happy Birthday” twice gets you to roughly 20 seconds of scrubbing, though any mental timer works just as well.
This 20 seconds covers only the lathering and scrubbing phase. Before that, you’re wetting your hands and applying soap. After it, you’re rinsing and drying. The total time at the sink is longer than most people expect, which partly explains why compliance with proper technique remains low. Even in high-income countries, hand hygiene compliance in healthcare settings rarely exceeds 70%.
The Full Process, Step by Step
A complete handwash follows five steps: wet your hands under clean running water, apply soap, scrub all surfaces for 20 seconds, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely. Each step matters. Skipping or rushing any one of them undermines the rest.
During the scrubbing phase, the most commonly missed areas are the thumbs, fingertips, and the spaces between fingers. These spots harbor the most residual bacteria after a typical wash precisely because people neglect them. Interlacing your fingers, rubbing each thumb individually, and pressing your fingertips into your opposite palm can address all three problem zones without adding much time.
Why Drying Matters as Much as Washing
Wet hands transfer bacteria far more easily than dry ones. Research published in the Journal of Hospital Infection found that even a thorough wash can be undermined if hands aren’t dried properly afterward. Damp skin picks up and spreads germs from every surface you touch on the way out of the restroom.
Paper towels or clean cloth towels are the most reliable drying method in a workplace setting. Air dryers work but typically take longer, and some models raise concerns about dispersing bacteria into the surrounding air. Whatever method is available, the key is making sure your hands are fully dry before you touch anything else.
Water Temperature Doesn’t Matter Much
Many food establishments keep their hand sinks set to 100°F because state health codes often interpret FDA guidelines as requiring that temperature. But a Rutgers University study tested handwashing at 60°F, 79°F, and 100°F over a six-month period and found no difference in germ removal across those temperatures. Cool water works just as well as hot water, as long as the 20-second scrub happens.
Comfortable water temperature may actually improve compliance. If the water is unpleasantly hot or cold, employees are more likely to rush through the process or skip it entirely. The researchers recommended that policies focus on comfortable or warm water rather than mandating a specific temperature.
Plain Soap Beats Antibacterial Soap
You don’t need antibacterial soap to get effective results. The FDA has stated that there isn’t sufficient evidence to show antibacterial soaps work better than plain soap and water at preventing illness. Manufacturers were unable to demonstrate that the active antibacterial ingredients were both safe for long-term daily use and more effective than regular soap. Plain soap, combined with the friction of a proper 20-second scrub, is enough to remove the vast majority of germs from your hands.
When Hand Sanitizer Is an Acceptable Substitute
If soap and water aren’t available, a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol content is the next best option. Sanitizers work quickly and reduce germ counts effectively in many situations. However, they have real limitations. They don’t work well on visibly dirty or greasy hands, and they’re less effective against certain types of germs that soap and water can remove.
For food service employees, sanitizer is generally considered a supplement, not a replacement. Handwashing with soap and water remains the standard before and after handling food, after using the bathroom, and after any task that could contaminate the hands. Sanitizer fills the gaps between those washes when a sink isn’t immediately accessible.
When Employees Should Wash
The timing of handwashing is just as important as the duration. At a minimum, employees should wash their hands before and after handling food, after using the restroom, after touching their face or hair, after handling garbage, after sneezing or coughing, and when switching between tasks that involve different contamination risks. In healthcare and food service, the frequency can easily reach a dozen or more washes per shift.
Building handwashing into the rhythm of work, rather than treating it as an interruption, makes it more likely to happen consistently. Placing sinks in convenient locations, keeping them stocked with soap and paper towels, and posting simple reminders about the 20-second rule all help close the gap between what guidelines recommend and what actually happens on the job.