How to wash your hands properly in a food business

Good handwashing in food businesses helps prevent harmful bacteria and other contamination from spreading around the kitchen. A quick rinse is not enough: use liquid soap, wash all parts of your hands thoroughly, then dry them hygienically.

When should food handlers wash their hands?

Wash your hands whenever they may have become contaminated, including:

• Before starting food preparation and before handling ready-to-eat food.
• After handling raw meat, poultry, fish, eggs or unwashed vegetables.
• After using the toilet.
• After handling rubbish, cleaning, or touching dirty equipment.
• After touching your face, hair or phone, or after coughing or sneezing.
• After eating, drinking or taking a break, and whenever you change tasks.

If you’re unsure whether your hands need washing, wash them before returning to food handling.

How to wash your hands

1. Wet your hands with warm running water.
2. Apply liquid soap.
3. Rub your hands together thoroughly. Clean your palms, the backs of your hands, between your fingers, around your thumbs, your fingertips and nails, and your wrists. Keep rubbing for at least 20 seconds.
4. Rinse your hands well under running water.
5. Dry them thoroughly using a disposable paper towel or another hygienic method provided at your workplace.

Use the designated handwashing basin and keep it supplied with soap and hygienic hand-drying materials.

Common handwashing mistakes

• Rinsing with water but not using soap.
• Washing quickly or missing thumbs, fingertips and between the fingers.
• Using hand gel instead of washing with soap and water.
• Assuming gloves remove the need to wash hands.

Hand gel can be an additional measure, but it must not replace handwashing. Gloves are not a substitute either: wash your hands when changing or removing them, and change them whenever you would need to wash your hands.

Quick check

Can hand gel replace washing your hands with soap and water?
No. Use handwashing; gel may only be an additional measure.

Do you need to wash your hands after removing gloves?
Yes.

What should you do if you touch raw food and then need to handle ready-to-eat food?
Wash your hands thoroughly before handling the ready-to-eat food.

Download the handwashing poster

Download and display our handwashing poster beside the handwashing basin to remind the team of the correct steps.

Food Safety Handwashing Poster Free Download

Further guidance: FSA guidance on E. coli cross-contamination and personal hygiene.