Spend any amount of time in a public restroom and you’ll encounter some incredibly fast hand-washers. A typical ritual includes an optional dab of soap, a millisecond-long sprinkle of water and a cursory wipe on a paper towel. You can not only set a good example for others but actually get the nastiness off your hands and refuse to spread it to everything you touch by making it a point to wash your hands effectively.

The Mayo Clinic recommends lathering up and rubbing your hands together vigorously for 20 seconds. To do a good job you’ve got to wash not only your palms and fingers, but the backs of your hands, between your fingers and underneath your nails.

Washing your hands well is especially important after you’ve taking care of business in the bathroom, as well as before you handle food or eat. Clean hands are also crucial when you’re feeling under the weather or around sick people.

Hand-washing: Do’s and don’ts [Mayo Clinic]

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