Proper Handwashing Steps for Food Handlers

Why Handwashing Is Critical for Food Safety

Proper handwashing is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of foodborne illness. According to the CDC, proper handwashing can reduce the spread of diarrheal diseases by up to 40% and respiratory infections by up to 20%. For food handlers, it is the first line of defense against contaminating the food you prepare and serve.

Handwashing is also one of the most heavily tested topics on the food handler exam, typically appearing in 4–6 questions. Knowing the correct steps, timing, and situations that require handwashing is essential for passing your test.

The 6 Steps of Proper Handwashing

Follow these six steps every time you wash your hands:

1. Wet your hands — Use warm running water (at least 100°F/38°C). Warm water is more effective at activating soap and loosening oils and bacteria from the skin.
2. Apply soap — Use enough liquid or foam soap to create a good lather. Avoid bar soap in food service settings as it can harbor bacteria.
3. Scrub for 20 seconds — Rub your hands together vigorously, making sure to scrub the backs of your hands, between your fingers, around your thumbs, and under your fingernails. The 20-second scrubbing time is critical — sing “Happy Birthday” twice to time yourself.
4. Rinse thoroughly — Rinse all soap from your hands under clean running water. Hold your hands so water runs from wrist to fingertips, carrying contaminants away.
5. Dry with a single-use towel — Use a clean, disposable paper towel or a single-use cloth towel. Do not use shared cloth towels, which can spread bacteria. Air dryers are acceptable but paper towels are preferred in food service.
6. Turn off the faucet with the towel — Use your paper towel to turn off the faucet and open the restroom door. This prevents recontaminating your clean hands by touching surfaces that others have touched with dirty hands.

When Must Food Handlers Wash Their Hands?

Food handlers must wash their hands in the following situations:

• Before: Starting work, putting on gloves, handling ready-to-eat food, handling clean equipment or utensils.
• After: Using the restroom, handling raw meat/poultry/seafood, touching your face/hair/body, sneezing/coughing, eating/drinking/smoking, handling dirty dishes or garbage, handling chemicals, touching anything that could contaminate hands.
• Between: Switching tasks (especially between raw and ready-to-eat food handling), handling different types of raw proteins, handling money and then food.

Common Handwashing Mistakes

Even experienced food workers sometimes make handwashing errors. Avoid these common mistakes:

• Not scrubbing long enough — 20 seconds of scrubbing is the minimum. Many people only scrub for 5–10 seconds, which is insufficient to remove harmful bacteria.
• Skipping areas — The spaces between fingers, under fingernails, and around the thumbs are commonly missed areas where bacteria hide.
• Using gloves instead of washing — Gloves are not a substitute for handwashing. You must wash your hands before putting on gloves. Gloves can develop invisible tears that allow bacteria through.
• Using hand sanitizer instead — Hand sanitizer is NOT a substitute for handwashing in food service. It can be used as an additional step after washing but never as a replacement.
• Drying with an apron or cloth — Always use a clean, disposable paper towel. Aprons, clothing, and shared towels can transfer bacteria to your clean hands.

Where Should Food Handlers Wash Their Hands?

Food handlers should only wash their hands at a designated handwashing sink — not a food preparation sink, a dishwashing sink, or a mop sink. Handwashing sinks must be:

• Accessible and unobstructed at all times
• Stocked with soap, paper towels, and warm running water
• Used exclusively for handwashing (never for food prep or cleaning equipment)
• Located near food preparation and restroom areas

Test your knowledge of handwashing and other food safety fundamentals with our free practice test.