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Hand hygiene is the most effective way to prevent contamination because soap and water physically remove microbes from the skin and the friction helps lift and rinse them away from every part of the hands. Washing for at least about 20 seconds ensures a broad range of germs and dirt are cleared, which is especially important when hands are visibly dirty or have been in contact with contaminated surfaces. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer is a good backup when soap and water aren’t available, but it’s not as reliable on dirty hands and may be less effective against certain pathogens. Gloves provide a barrier but don’t clean contaminated hands on their own and can give a false sense of security if not changed and hands washed after removing them. Masks reduce transmission via droplets but don’t address hand cleanliness. So, washing hands remains the best overall practice for preventing contamination.