When washing your hands, how long should you rub them together to create a lather?

Rubbing your hands together for 20 seconds is recommended to effectively create a lather and ensure thorough cleansing. This duration allows for the soap to interact with skin oils and dirt, breaking them down and facilitating their removal. The process of lathering not only enhances the effectiveness of the soap but also increases the surface area of the cleaning agents, making it more efficient at eliminating germs and bacteria. This is critical in maintaining hygiene, particularly in a cosmetology setting where cleanliness is paramount for client safety.

Research and health guidelines, such as those from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), support this duration, emphasizing that a minimum of 20 seconds is necessary to achieve proper hand hygiene. Shorter durations might not provide enough time for the soap to work effectively, therefore increasing the risk of leaving harmful microorganisms on the skin.