Tippy Tap

The Tippy Tap is a hands-free device for hand washing that is especially designed for rural areas where there is no running water. It is operated by a foot lever and thus reduces the chance for the transmission of pathogens as the user only touches a bar of soap suspended by a string. Adequate hand washing with the Tippy Tap requires only 40 milliliters of water as compared to an average of 500 milliliters by using a cup or mug. Additionally, used gray water can be recycled for watering plants.

The Tippy Tap can be made with locally-sourced materials at virtually no cost. The basic set of required materials includes several sticks, string, soap and a container for the water. The device is especially effective when strategically placed outside of latrines, kitchens and schools.

The Tippy Tap was first introduced by Dr. Jim Watt in Zimbabwe, who originally employed a gourd instead of a plastic water container. Since its introduction, the Tippy Tap has been adopted as a user-friendly way to encourage effective hand washing behavior in developing communities.

Publicly available: yes
Countries where available: Worldwide
Offered or can be licensed for local manufacture: Yes

how-to-build-a-tippy-tap-manual.pdf COVID Response
How to Use
How Much Water
The Costs