What is the correct ORDER of steps for proper handwashing?
a.Apply soap to dry hands first, rinse them under cold running water, then wet the hands, and finish by drying them on the cloth towel that hangs at the prep station for everyone
b.Rinse the hands under cold running water for about five seconds with no soap, wipe them dry on the apron, and go straight back to handling ready-to-eat food on the line
c.Dry the hands on a paper towel first, then apply soap, wet them under running water, scrub 10 to 15 seconds, and go back to the line without rinsing (soap left on the hands)
d.Wet hands with warm water, apply soap and scrub 10-15 seconds (including between fingers and under nails), rinse, and dry with a single-use towel or air dryer
Explanation
Proper handwashing is: wet hands and arms with warm running water, apply soap, vigorously scrub hands, arms, between fingers, and under nails for 10 to 15 seconds, rinse thoroughly, and dry with a single-use paper towel or hand dryer, for a total of at least 20 seconds. Soap needs water and friction, so applying it to dry hands, or scrubbing and then skipping the rinse, does not clean them, and drying before washing accomplishes nothing. Cold water with no soap does not lift soil, and an apron or a shared cloth towel recontaminates hands that were just rinsed.
Law Reference: FDA Food Code §2-301.12Practice all 500 questions free — no signup required.
Own the complete ServSafe Food Protection Manager guide — PDF + EPUB, $19.99 →
Related questions on this topic
- An employee who was excluded for vomiting and diarrhea wants to return to work. Under the Food Code, when can a food handler generally return after these symptoms?
- Which of these is a manager's responsibility (Person in Charge) regarding employee health under the Food Code?
- At a salad station, which method best complies with the no-bare-hand-contact rule when building ready-to-eat salads all shift?
- A cook at a carnicería handles raw pork, then answers his cell phone, and returns to portion cooked carnitas. How many handwashing opportunities did he miss if he washed at none of these points?
- To support proper handwashing, which sign is the Food Code widely associated with requiring at handwashing sinks used by food employees?
- Where should employees eat their meals during breaks?
Last reviewed: · editorial process
PrepPass team · Verified against ServSafe Food Protection Manager Exam · How we review