# What's the First Step in Good Hygiene?

> Washing your hands is considered the first and most important step of good hygiene, before touching a client or a tool in the shop.

Canonical: https://fadejunkie.com/practice/sanitation/hand-washing-first-hygiene-step  
Last updated: 2026-08-11

**The answer is washing your hands. It's the most basic, highest-leverage hygiene habit before you touch a client or any tool.**

Brushing your teeth, using mouthwash, and avoiding smoking on shift are all reasonable personal habits, but none of them is the foundational step. A barber's hands touch every client and every surface in the shop, which is exactly why hand washing gets treated as step one.

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