How Long Should You Wash Your Hands?

Washing your hands properly is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of infections. Yet, many people still underestimate the importance of doing it right and for the right amount of time.

So how long should you actually wash your hands?

The Recommended Duration: 30 Seconds

Global health authorities recommend washing your hands for at least 30 seconds in total, which includes:

• 20 seconds of scrubbing with soap
• 10 seconds of thorough rinsing with clean running water

This routine ensures that both visible dirt and invisible pathogens like viruses and bacteria are effectively removed.

Why Scrub for 20 Seconds?

The key to effective hand hygiene is friction. Scrubbing your hands with soap helps dislodge and break down oils, dirt, and microbes on your skin.

Organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasize the need to scrub for a minimum of 20 seconds. This is supported by hygiene experts across Europe.

In Germany, the Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung (BZgA) also recommends scrubbing for 20 to 30 seconds, especially after using the toilet, before eating, or when returning home from public spaces [BZgA, Infektionsschutz.de].

Similarly, in Slovakia, the Úrad verejného zdravotníctva Slovenskej republiky (UVZ SR) promotes 20 seconds of scrubbing as the basic rule for everyday hygiene, highlighting its role in preventing respiratory and intestinal infections [UVZ SR, 2020 COVID-19 guidelines].

Why Rinse for 10 Seconds?

Rinsing is not a throwaway step—it is essential. After loosening the dirt and microbes with soap and scrubbing, rinsing under running water for at least 10 seconds ensures that everything is flushed off the skin.

Too little rinsing can leave behind soap residue, which may trap contaminants or irritate the skin.

Wash Anywhere, Anytime – With the Washpack

In many situations—construction sites, outdoor markets, mobile clinics—access to a fixed handwashing station is limited.

That’s where the Washpack comes in. Designed as a portable handwashing station, the Washpack contains clean water, soap, and an integrated drainage system.

Thanks to its efficient water-saving design, one full Washpack provides for at least 60 proper handwashes (20 seconds of scrubbing and 10 seconds of rinsing per use). This makes it ideal for mobile use in public, professional, or humanitarian settings.

✅ With the Washpack, effective hygiene is no longer location-dependent.

How to Wash Properly

1. Wet your hands with clean running water.
2. Apply soap and scrub for 20 seconds, covering palms, backs of hands, between fingers, thumbs, and fingertips.
3. Rinse under running water for at least 10 seconds.
4. Dry thoroughly.

References

• World Health Organization (WHO). WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care, 2009.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). « When and How to Wash Your Hands. » cdc.gov
• Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung (BZgA), Infektionsschutz.de – « Richtig Händewaschen » – https://www.infektionsschutz.de/haendewaschen
• Úrad verejného zdravotníctva Slovenskej republiky (UVZ SR), « Správna technika umývania rúk » – https://www.uvzsr.sk

Conclusion:
Proper handwashing takes just 30 seconds—20 to scrub, 10 to rinse. With a portable solution like the Washpack, you can perform hygienic, water-efficient handwashing anywhere, up to 60 times per fill.

Clean hands save lives. Make it a habit.