Which statement best describes personal care?

• A. Washing your hands and drying thoroughly with a single-use towel
• B. Wearing protective gloves
• C. Both washing hands and drying with a single-use towel and wearing protective gloves
• D. None of the above

Answer: (C)

Personal care involves both maintaining clean hands and using protective barriers to prevent contamination. Washing your hands removes germs, and drying with a disposable, single-use towel prevents recontamination that can come from reusable cloth towels. Wearing protective gloves adds a barrier when you’re in contact with clients or potentially dirty surfaces, further reducing the chance of transferring microbes. Together, these practices cover both cleanliness and protection, making the statement that includes both hand hygiene and glove use the most complete description of personal care. Relying on gloves alone doesn’t address hand cleanliness, and washing without gloves may not provide protection for certain tasks, while a reusable towel can spread contaminants.