What is World Hand Hygiene Day?
Did you know World Hand Hygiene Day is observed every year on May 5?
It’s a global campaign to remind people just how important it is to wash their hands properly. Clean hands are the best tools that we have to stop the spread of germs, viruses, and infections.
World Hand Hygiene Day 2025 Theme
The theme for World Hand Hygiene Day 2025 is:
“It might be gloves, it's always hand hygiene”
This theme highlights the importance of proper hand hygiene practices, even when gloves are used. While gloves are essential in healthcare settings, they do not replace the need for hand hygiene
Importance of World Hand Hygiene Day
We use our hands for everything—eating, cooking, cleaning, even using our phones! But with all this, our hands also pick up millions of germs.
World Hand Hygiene Day helps to:
Educate people on proper handwashing steps
Prevent the spread of diseases like diarrhea and gastrointestinal infections
Promote safe habits in schools, hospitals, and public spaces
History of World Hand Hygiene Day
This campaign started in 2009 by The World Health Organization (WHO). The idea was to create a special day to talk about the importance of hand hygiene, especially in hospitals.Since then, it’s become a global movement, spreading awareness across countries about why handwashing is important,
Objectives of World Hand Hygiene Day
Many people still don’t know what is hand hygiene and why it’s necessary. This day helps spread that knowledge.
It encourages everyone to develop the habit of washing hands regularly and correctly.
Promote Overall Health and Well-being
Clean hands help prevent sickness and improve public health on a global scale.
Types of Hand Hygiene
There are different ways to practice hand hygiene:
Handwashing with soap and water – Best for visibly dirty hands.
Using hand sanitizer – Useful when soap and water aren’t available.
Surgical hand scrubbing – For healthcare professionals before surgeries.
7 Steps of Handwashing (Also Known as Hand Hygiene Steps)
Follow these 7 steps of hand hygiene to clean every part of your hands properly:
Palm to Palm: Rub both palms together in a circular motion to create lather and start removing germseffectively.
Back of Hands: Rub the back of each hand with the opposite palm to ensure thorough cleaning of harder-to-reach areas.
Between Fingers: Interlace your fingers and rub thoroughly to remove dirt and germs hiding between them.
Back of Fingers: Place fingers into the opposite palm and scrub the back of fingers to remove hidden germs.
Base of Thumbs: Rub each thumb in a rotating manner using the opposite hand to clean this often-missed area.
Fingernails: Scrub fingertips and nails against the opposite palm to clean under and around the nails effectively.
Wrists: Wrap the opposite hand around each wrist and rub to clean the lower arms and remove residual germs.
Do this for at least 20 seconds with soap and water.
The 5 Moments of Hand Hygiene
Hand hygiene is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of infections—especially in healthcare settings. For healthcare workers, knowing when to clean hands is just as important as how. The World Health Organization highlights five key moments when hand hygiene is essential:
Before touching a patient
Before a procedure
After touching bodily fluids
After touching a patient
After touching patient surroundings
These 5 moments of hand hygiene help protect both patients and medical staff.
Proper Hand-Washing Procedure
Here’s a quick guide:
Wet your hands with clean water: Use running water to wet your hands completely before applying soap. This helps create a good lather.
Apply soap: Apply enough soap to cover all hand surfaces. Liquid, bar, or foam soap—all work effectively when used properly.
Rub all parts of your hands (use the 7 steps) : Follow the 7 steps of hand hygiene to clean every part—palms, fingers, thumbs, nails, and wrists thoroughly.
Scrub for 20-30 seconds: Make sure to scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds to remove germs, dirt, and potential viruses effectively.
Rinse thoroughly: Rinse off all the soap under clean, running water. Make sure no residue is left on any part of your hands.
Dry with a clean towel or air dry: Use a clean towel or air dryer. Damp hands can transfer germs more easily than dry ones.
Avoid touching dirty surfaces after: Once hands are clean, avoid touching surfaces like taps, doorknobs, or phones that may be contaminated.
Mistakes to Avoid When Washing Hands
Washing your hands is important, but doing it the right way matters even more. Many people make simple mistakes that reduce its effectiveness. Here are common handwashing mistakes to avoid:
Water alone won’t remove germs.
Washing for too little time
You need at least 20 seconds to be effective.
Not drying hands properly
Wet hands spread germs faster than dry ones.
Touching dirty surfaces right after washing
You undo all the cleaning if you touch the sink or doorknob!
Not scrubbing all parts of the hand
Don’t forget the thumbs, fingernails, and between the fingers.
Why Hand Hygiene Matters
The purpose of hand hygiene is simple—to stay safe and healthy. Whether it’s before eating, after using the toilet, or after touching shared objects, clean hands reduce the risk of spreading illness.
Let’s make every day a hand wash day, not just May 5. Teach kids, remind your family, and lead by example. Remember, it’s a small step with a big impact.
FAQs About Hand Hygiene
When is World Hand Hygiene Day observed?
World Hand Hygiene Day is observed on May 5th every year to promote proper hand hygiene.
What are the five moments of hand hygiene?
Five key moments when hand hygiene is essential:
Before touching a patient
Before a procedure
After touching bodily fluids
After touching a patient
After touching patient surroundings
What is the best way to wash hands properly?
The best way to wash hands is to use soap and water. Follow the 7 steps of handwashing, and scrub for 20–30 seconds for best.
When should I use hand sanitizer instead of soap and water?
Use alcohol-based sanitizer if soap and water are not available, but hands must not be visibly dirty.
What are the most common diseases spread by unclean hands?
Following are common diseases:
What role do hospitals play in hand hygiene awareness?
Hospitals promote hand hygiene through staff training, posters, reminders, and infection control practices daily.
Do I only need to wash my hands after using the toilet?
No. You should also wash your hands before meals, after coughing or sneezing, touching surfaces, handling garbage, or caring for someone who’s sick. Hand hygiene is important throughout the day.
Is hand sanitizer better than soap and water?
Not always. While hand sanitizer is convenient, soap and water are more effective at removing certain germs, dirt, and chemicals. Use sanitizer only when soap and water aren’t available.
