The gram staining procedure involves several key steps: 1. Fixation: The bacterial sample is fixed onto a slide using heat. 2. Primary Stain (Crystal Violet): The slide is stained with crystal violet, which penetrates the cell walls. 3. Mordant (Iodine): Iodine is added to form a complex with crystal violet, enhancing stain retention. 4. Decolorization: The slide is washed with alcohol or acetone. Gram-positive cells retain the crystal violet-iodine complex, while gram-negative cells do not. 5. Counterstain (Safranin): The slide is stained with safranin, which stains gram-negative cells pink.