Which step is performed last in the standard handwashing sequence?

• A. Dry hands with a clean towel
• B. Rinse hands
• C. Apply soap
• D. Scrub hands

Answer: (A)

Understanding the order of steps in an effective handwashing routine is essential, and the final action is drying the hands with a clean towel. After your hands are wet, you apply soap and then scrub all surfaces of the hands, including between fingers and under nails, to lift dirt and microbes. Rinsing follows to wash away the soap along with the loosened contaminants. Once the hands are clean and free of soap, you dry them with a clean towel to remove moisture, which helps prevent the spread of germs and reduces recontamination from wet hands. In some guidelines, air drying is acceptable, but it still occurs at the end of the sequence. So among the steps given, drying with a clean towel is performed last, with the earlier steps—apply soap, scrub, and rinse—occurring beforehand.