After washing your hands, how should you turn off the faucet?

Turning off the faucet with a towel after washing your hands is the best practice for maintaining hand hygiene. By using a towel, you avoid recontaminating your clean hands with bacteria that may be present on the faucet handle. This technique helps to ensure that the cleanliness achieved by washing your hands is not compromised when exiting the bathroom or kitchen.

In many healthcare settings and hygiene protocols, it is crucial to minimize contact with surfaces after handwashing. If you were to use your elbow, hand, or left hand to turn off the faucet, there is a risk of transferring germs from those surfaces back to your clean hands, thereby negating the benefits of handwashing. Utilizing a towel for this purpose not only helps in preventing cross-contamination but also allows you to discard the towel immediately afterward, maintaining a continuous level of hygiene.