Wudu is required before every prayer (unless you are still in a valid wudu from before) and follows a fixed order: washing the hands, rinsing the mouth and nose, washing the face, the arms to the elbows, wiping the head and ears, and washing the feet to the ankles.

It doesn't take long once learned — most people manage it in under two minutes — and it carries a spiritual meaning too: each limb washed is paired, in the hadith literature, with the idea of minor faults being washed away along with it.

The full Purification (Taharah) guide in this app walks through wudu step by step, along with what to do if you're unsure whether your wudu is still valid.