You should wash your hands with soap under running water for at least 15–30 seconds , with most guidance centering on a minimum of 20 seconds of active scrubbing after any potential exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

In many bloodborne pathogen training materials and workplace exposure control plans, workers are instructed to wash any skin that contacted blood or other potentially infectious materials thoroughly with soap and water for about 15–20 minutes , especially if there was more than brief contact or visible contamination. However, this longer time often refers to flushing a significantly contaminated area (similar to eye-flush guidance) rather than routine handwashing between tasks.

For typical handwashing after a possible exposure (for example, after removing contaminated gloves or touching a small, contained spill), you should:

  1. Wet hands with clean, running water.
  2. Apply soap and lather well, including backs of hands, between fingers, and under nails.
  3. Scrub all surfaces for at least 20 seconds (many training modules even suggest using the “Happy Birthday” song once or twice as a timing cue).
  1. Rinse thoroughly under running water.
  2. Dry with a clean, single-use towel and use the towel to turn off the faucet.

Some university and institutional bloodborne pathogen plans add that if your hands or other skin were visibly contaminated with blood, you should wash them thoroughly for 15–20 minutes and, if needed, repeat the process , then report the exposure according to your workplace protocol and seek medical evaluation.

So in practice:

  • Minimum for routine hand hygiene after bloodborne exposure risk: 20 seconds of vigorous scrubbing with soap under running water.
  • If there is obvious or significant contamination: wash thoroughly for a prolonged period (often described as 15–20 minutes), and follow your organization’s exposure incident procedures immediately.

If this question is about a real exposure (especially if you have broken skin, a puncture, splash to eyes or mouth, or a large amount of blood contact), you should not rely only on handwashing; seek urgent medical care or occupational health right away for proper post-exposure evaluation.