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Handwashing steps poster for commercial kitchens.
Wet, soap, scrub for 20 seconds, rinse, dry, and turn off the tap with the towel. The six steps every Canadian inspector wants to see at the handwashing sink. Print it, post it above the sink, and keep it where staff can read it.
How to use the poster
In a Canadian kitchen, handwashing is the single best way to stop the spread of illness. Many foodborne pathogens move from person to food through hands that were not washed properly. This poster keeps the method at the sink where staff need it, and shows an inspector the standard is being followed.
The six steps
- Wet hands with clean running water
- Apply soap from a dispenser
- Lather and scrub for at least 20 seconds
- Rinse with clean water
- Dry with a single-use paper towel
- Turn off the tap with the towel
When to wash
- Before starting work and before handling food
- After using the washroom
- After handling raw or hazardous food
- After sneezing, coughing, or smoking
- Whenever hands are visibly dirty
- After one task, before starting another
What inspectors check at the sink
- The basin is easy to reach and not blocked
- Hot and cold running water is working
- Soap is in a dispenser, bar soap is not allowed
- Paper towels or an air dryer are stocked
- The sink is for handwashing only, not dishes or food
Download the handwashing poster
Free, one page, letter size. The six-step method in large print, ready to post above any handwashing sink.
Every kitchen is different. This poster is a general guide based on standard Canadian food safety practice, not a one-size-fits-all rule. Handwashing steps, sink requirements, and posting rules can vary with your local health unit. Review it and adapt it to your facility before you rely on it. Probe It Food Safety provides this resource for general guidance only.
Certified Public Health Inspector
When I check a kitchen, the handwashing sink tells me as much as the poster above it. If the basin is blocked with dishes, out of soap, or has no paper towel, the steps on the wall do not matter. I look for a clear sink, hot and cold water, soap in a dispenser, and towels within reach. Bar soap is a flag. So is a hand sink being used to rinse pans. Post the steps, but keep the sink ready to use, every shift.
Samira Ali · Certified Public Health Inspector · Probe It Food SafetyCommon questions
How long should you wash your hands?
Lather and scrub for at least 20 seconds with soap, covering palms, backs of hands, between the fingers, and under the nails. Then rinse with clean water and dry with a single-use paper towel. Drying matters, since wet hands pick up and spread bacteria more easily than dry ones.
When do food handlers need to wash their hands?
Wash before starting work and before handling any food, after using the washroom, after handling raw or hazardous food, after sneezing, coughing, or smoking, whenever hands are visibly dirty, and when moving from one task to another. Handwashing is the best single way to stop the spread of illness in a kitchen.
What does a handwashing sink need in a Canadian kitchen?
A handwashing basin must have hot and cold running water, soap in a dispenser, and paper towels, or an air dryer in place of towels. Bar soap is not permitted. The basin must be easy to reach and used for handwashing only, with separate sinks provided for dishwashing and food preparation.
Do gloves replace handwashing?
No. Gloves are a tool, not a replacement for washing your hands. Wash your hands before putting gloves on and after taking them off, change gloves between tasks, and bandage any cuts before gloving. Dirty hands inside a glove still spread bacteria.