Guidance

Best practice: how to handrub

Updated 18 December 2025

© Crown copyright 2025

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-personal-protective-equipment-use-for-aerosol-generating-procedures/best-practice-how-to-handrub

  1. Apply a palmful of the product in a cupped hand and cover all surfaces of the hands.
  2. Rub hands palm to palm.
  3. Right palm over the back of the other hand with interlaced fingers and vice versa.
  4. Palm to palm with fingers interlaced.
  5. Backs of fingers to opposing palms with fingers interlocked.
  6. Rotational rubbing of left thumb clasped in right palm and vice versa.
  7. Rotational rubbing, backwards and forwards with clasped fingers of right hand in left palm and vice versa.
  8. Rub wrists of both hands.
  9. Once dry, your hands are safe.
Back to top