Soap and Water Hand Hygiene for C. difficile
Key Points
- Alcohol-based sanitizer is not sufficient for C. difficile spore removal.
- Soap and water is required when hands are visibly soiled or contamination with blood/body fluids is present.
- Proper handwashing duration is at least 30 seconds to maximize bacterial reduction.
Equipment
- Sink with running water
- Facility-approved soap
- Clean paper towels or equivalent drying supplies
- Waste receptacle for used towels
Procedure Steps
- Identify indication for soap-and-water method (for example C. difficile exposure, visible soiling, or blood/body fluid contamination).
- Remove gloves and approach sink before touching clean surfaces.
- Wet hands thoroughly with running water.
- Apply soap and lather all surfaces, including palms, backs of hands, between fingers, thumbs, fingertips, and wrists.
- Rub vigorously for at least 30 seconds.
- Rinse hands completely under running water.
- Dry hands using a clean towel.
- Use towel to turn off faucet and discard towel appropriately.
- Repeat handwashing on room exit when caring for patients with C. difficile precautions.
Common Errors
- Using alcohol sanitizer instead of soap and water for C. difficile → incomplete spore removal.
- Handwashing under 30 seconds → lower bacterial reduction.
- Recontaminating hands by touching faucet directly after washing → reduced infection-control benefit.
- Inconsistent entry/exit handwashing in isolation rooms → increased unit transmission risk.
Related
- hand-hygiene - General workflow for method selection across routine and high-risk care moments.
- transmission-based-precautions - Isolation strategies requiring strict handwashing adherence.