Contaminated　hands　of　people　and　contaminated　surfaces　of　inanimate　objects　(fomites)　can　spread　microbes　that　cause　enteric　and　respiratory　infections.　Thus,　hand　hygiene　and　surface　hygiene　are　probably　the　most　widely　adopted　public　health　interventions　for　controlling　such　infections.　However,　conclusions　of　studies　on　the　effectiveness　of　these　interventions　are　often　inconsistent,　likely　because　such　studies　have　examined　these　interventions　separately　and　thus　not　detected　their　interactions,　leading　to　differing　conclusions　about　their　individual　impact.　In　this　study,　it　is　proposed　that　hand　and　environmental　surface　hygiene　(including　disinfection)　should　be　coupled　to　control　contamination　spread　between　surfaces,　especially　within　heterogeneous　surface　touch　networks.　In　these　networks,　surfaces　and　individuals　have　varying　contact　frequencies　and　patterns,　reflecting　the　diverse　and　non-uniform　interactions　that　typically　occur　in　real-world　environments.　Accordingly,　we　propose　a　new　theoretical　framework　to　delineate　the　relationships　between　hand　hygiene　and　surface　hygiene.　In　addition,　the　performance　of　a　model　based　on　this　framework　that　used　real-world　behavioural　data　from　a　graduate　student　office　is　reported.　Moreover,　a　coupled　hygiene　criterion　for　heterogeneous　networks　is　derived.　This　criterion　stipulates　that　the　product　of　the　pathogen-removal　rates　for　hands　and　surfaces　must　exceed　a　cleaning　threshold　to　ensure　the　exponential　decay　of　contamination.　Failure　to　meet