handwash

Everyday

1. Handwash is liquid soap for washing your hands. tree →
2. To handwash clothes means to wash them by hand in water, not in a washing machine. tree →
3. (noun) Handwashing is washing your hands with soap and water. tree →

In the lessons

In health and science lessons pupils learn that handwashing with soap for about 20 seconds removes germs and stops illness spreading. On clothes labels, a symbol of a hand in water means «handwash only». In everyday life, handwash is the soap by the sink. Phrases: «handwash only», «a bottle of handwash».

Examples

• There's handwash by the sink. tree →
• Wash your hands with handwash for 20 seconds. tree →
• This jumper says «handwash only». tree →
• Mum handwashed my woolly hat. tree →
• We're out of handwash — can you buy some? tree →
• Handwashing stops germs from spreading. tree →
• Sing «Happy Birthday» twice while you handwash. tree →

Note

Spelled as one word (handwash), two words (hand wash) or with a hyphen; all are seen. Uncountable for the soap. Handwashing with soap is better than water alone; hand gel helps when there is no sink but does not work well on very dirty hands.