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WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene

Antiseptic handwashing Washing hands with soap and water, or other detergents containing an antiseptic agent.

Antiseptic hand-rubbing (or hand-rubbing) Applying an antiseptic hand-rub to reduce or inhibit the growth of microorganisms without the need for an exogenous source of water and requiring no rinsing or drying with towels or other devices.

Hand antisepsis/decontamination/degerming Reducing or inhibiting the growth of microorganisms by the application of an antiseptic hand-rub or by performing an antiseptic handwash.

WHO definition of hand hygiene products

Hand Hygiene is a general term used to describe any action that results in cleansing of hands and the removal of microorganisms from the hands. 

Common Hand hygiene products

Alcohol-based (hand) rub: An alcohol-containing preparation (liquid, gel, or foam) designed for application to the hands to inactivate microorganisms and/or temporarily suppress their growth. Such preparations may contain one or more types of alcohol, 

Antimicrobial (medicated) soap: Soap (detergent) containing an antiseptic agent at a concentration sufficient to inactivate microorganisms

Historical perspective on hand hygiene

Source: Chapter 4, WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene on homepage and internal page

Handwashing with soap and water has been considered a measure of personal hygiene for centuries and has been generally embedded in religious and cultural habits Nevertheless, the link between handwashing and the spread of disease was established only two centuries ago, although this can be considered as relatively early with respect to the discoveries of Pasteur and Lister that occurred decades later.