How long should you scrub your hands when washing them?

• A. Five seconds
• B. Twenty seconds
• C. Sixty seconds
• D. Two minutes

Answer: (B)

Washing for about twenty seconds gives soap enough time to lift and remove germs from every part of your hands. If you scrub for this duration, you cover all surfaces—palms, backs, between the fingers, under the nails, and the wrists—while the soap works to loosen oils that trap microbes. Shorter times, like five seconds, often miss areas and leave germs behind; longer times such as sixty seconds or two minutes don’t provide much extra benefit and can irritate the skin. So, aim for at least twenty seconds, then rinse and dry thoroughly.