Ladles are placed by the water basin, and it is the general practice that worshippers use this to scoop up water with which to wash the left and right hands before taking up water using the hands of which some is used to wash the mouth and the remainder to wash the ladle.
水盤には柄杓が置かれており、それを使用して一回で手水（ちょうず）を掬う、左手、右手とすすいだ後、手に水をためて口をすすぎ、残った水で柄杓を濯ぐのが一般的な使用方法になっている。