Before touching your face or putting on a face mask, your hands should be washed thoroughly to remove any potential pathogens. When possible, hands should be washed with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, scrubbing between fingers and dispersing soap all over the hands. This is especially important when hands are visibly dirty and greasy as this can decrease the efficacy of alcohol-based sanitizers. If soap and water are not readily available, alcohol-based sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol can be used. Anything with a lower alcohol percentage will have a reduced capacity to remove germs or may simply prevent growth of bacteria. Sanitizers should be applied to the palm and spread around evenly around your hands until it is completely dry.
