How to keep your hands dry

How should you dry your hands after washing?

1. 1Wet your hands with clean, running water. Use lukewarm water if your skin is prone to dryness.
2. 2Apply soap and scrub for at least 20 seconds. Include your palms, backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers and under your nails.
3. 3Rinse thoroughly until all the soap is gone.
4. 4Dry your hands with a clean hand towel or disposable paper towel. Make sure your hands are thoroughly dry before continuing work.

Drying is part of hand hygiene, not an optional extra: germs spread more easily on wet hands than dry ones. Regular soap and water are enough for most people; an antibacterial label does not earn the soap a promotion. Continue washing at important times, including before eating and after using the bathroom, coughing or sneezing.3

Keep water and cleaning products off your hands

Reduce direct contact before relying on gloves. Use a dishwasher instead of washing dishes by hand when practical, and use tools rather than your hands to handle wet materials. A dishwasher reduces direct contact with water, so delegating the washing up has a skin care rationale. Frequent or prolonged contact with water, especially alongside soap and detergent, can cause dermatitis, meaning inflamed skin.15

At work, ask about removing the exposure, switching to a less harmful product or using equipment that keeps substances away from your skin. Gloves are one protective measure, not the whole plan. Choose gloves suitable for the task and chemical involved; cleaning product instructions can identify the appropriate type. Wash contamination off your skin promptly rather than waiting until the end of a shift.16

What if your hands get sweaty inside gloves?

Use clean protective gloves without holes, and avoid wearing them for long periods. Sweating underneath gloves aggravates hand dermatitis. Lined gloves or cotton inner gloves improve comfort; cotton gloves alone can suit irritating dry work when waterproof protection is unnecessary. For household wet chores, cotton liners under waterproof gloves help prevent further irritation in people with eczema.27

Keep hands dry without leaving skin cracked

If handwashing leaves your skin dry or chapped, apply hand cream or ointment after each wash, including your fingertips and nails. For this moisturizing step, towel off excess water but leave skin slightly damp before applying the cream. For chapped skin, choose a fragrance free and dye free cream or ointment containing petrolatum or mineral oil. Moisturize regularly, particularly after finishing work.14

Rings can trap water and cleaning products against the skin. If you have eczema, remove rings before washing and apply moisturizer before putting them back on. When soap and water are unavailable, use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol, let it dry, then apply hand cream or ointment.147

When should you get medical help?

Check for itching, dryness, redness or cracks, especially if your job involves wet work. Report workplace skin changes early. See a dermatologist if dryness persists despite moisturizing and reducing irritant exposure. Hand dermatitis can involve irritation and allergy together; persistent symptoms sometimes need prescription treatment or patch testing to identify contact allergens.1245