How to Perform Wudu
Wudu is performed in a fixed sequence, and while the order and minimum requirements are agreed upon across the schools of thought, some of the finer details of technique vary. It begins with the intention (niyyah) — again, not something that needs to be spoken, just held as the reason for what's about to be done — followed by saying "Bismillah" (in the name of Allah).
The sequence then moves through: washing both hands up to the wrists three times, rinsing the mouth three times, sniffing water into the nostrils and blowing it out three times, washing the entire face three times (from the hairline to the chin, ear to ear), washing the right arm from fingertips to the elbow three times followed by the left arm the same way, wiping the head once with wet hands (some practices include wiping the ears at the same time, others treat that as a separate step), and finally washing the right foot to the ankle three times followed by the left foot. The order of these steps (tartib) and doing them without significant pause between each (muwalat) are both considered important by most schools, though not to the same degree of strictness in every case.
A few details are worth flagging because they're commonly done incorrectly. Water needs to reach the skin, which means rings, tight bracelets, or anything blocking water from reaching the area being washed should be moved or removed. For men with a beard, the general position is that water should reach the skin underneath if the beard is thin enough to see through, but for a thick beard, running wet fingers through it (khilal) is considered sufficient without requiring the water to reach the skin beneath every strand. Between the toes is another commonly missed spot — using a finger to draw water between them (also called khilal) is part of a properly performed wudu.
Wudu made for one prayer remains valid for any number of subsequent prayers until something breaks it (see the companion article on what breaks wudu) — it does not need to be repeated for every single prayer as long as nothing has invalidated it in between, which is a common point of confusion for people newer to the practice.