Washing your hand frequently with soap and water can prevent the spread of common flu. If water and soap are not available, you can use hand hand sanitizers.
What is hand sanitizer? A hand sanitizer is a gel, foam, and liquid solution which acts as an alternative to hand washing with water and soap. There are two types of hand sanitizers, alcohol based hand sanitizers and non-alcohol hand sanitizers.
Alcohol based hand sanitizers use alcohol to kill most bacteria, fungi and several viruses. You will discover different amount of concentration of alcohol in different sanitizers. Some have up to 85% of alcohol whereas others have 60%. Most hand sanitizers found in the market contain 62% of alcohol. The most common brands of alcohol based hand sanitizers include Purell sanitizers, Avant, Sterillium, Desderman and Allsept S.
Some hand sanitizers are produced with extra ingredients including natural products and essential oils. These hand sanitizers can kill germs as well as moisturize your skin. Hospitals use sanitizer dispensers equipped with elbow controlled mechanism to stop any contact with the pump.
Non-alcohol based hand sanitizers use chemical agents including benzalkonium chloride or triclosan to kill germs. The amount of benzalkonium chloride or triclosan of these products is low.
Alcohol is really a preservative. As they do not contain alcohol, the non-alcohol based hand sanitizers. are succeptible to contamination.
How to Utilize Hand Sanitizer
Hand sanitizers could kill most gems immediately while on your skin. How do we use it properly and when should we use it?
The proper way of using hand sanitizer is as shown below:
- Apply enough solution to the palm of one hand.
- Rub your hands together. Cover both hands and fingers with the solution. Keep rubbing until your hands are dry.
- If your hands are visibly dirty, you should wash them with soap and water.
- When to apply the solution? It would be a good idea to sanitizer your hands:
- before and after food preparation.
- before meals.
- before and after treating wounds.
- before inserting or removing contact lenses.
- after touching an animal.
- after handling something that could be contaminated, such as garbage.
Benefits of Hand Sanitizers
Most people think that the alcohol based hand sanitizers could make your skin dry. Well it is true. However, it dries skin less than hand washing with soap and water.
Hand sanitizers kill many bacteria such as antibiotic resistant bacteria and TB bacteria. They also kill viruses such as flu virus, the common cold virus, and HIV.
Hand sanitizers also kill fungi.
The Risk
Alcohol based hand sanitizers can catch fire because of its alcohol content. However, certain some hand sanitizers with high concentration of water or moisturizing content may not produce this effect. To minimize the risk of fire, it would be a good idea to rub your hands until dry. This indicates the flammable alcohol is gone.
