Negosentro.com | Does Hand Sanitizer Work? | Because of the COVID-19 pandemic that is still raging on, people are stocking on hand sanitizers like never before. This is understandable, given the fact that humans are social beings. We are in contact with dozens of people every day, be it at work, school, on the street, in public transport, or in a retail store. If you use public transport every day, just imagine how many people have touched the same pole inside the subway before you.
This is where a hand sanitizer comes in. You should avoid touching those germ-invaded surfaces in the first place, but sometimes you are left with no other option. Using a hand sanitizer before and after touching anything in a public space is a must, pandemic or not. Even if you are not infected by the deadly new virus, you can still suffer from the common cold. So, do hand sanitizers even work? Do they kill all germs? Are all hand sanitizers similar? Keep on reading to find out.
The Effectiveness
Most, if not all hand sanitizers contain a high percentage of alcohol. The alcohol kills a large number of germs almost instantly and it also spreads them from spreading. While soap and water will still kill more microbes and remove them outright by washing them off, washing your hands all the time is highly impractical. Hand sanitizers, on the other hand, come in different forms, shapes, and sizes, which all allow for easy transport.
You can use sprays on both your hands as well as surfaces that you touch for quick cleaning. The effectiveness of hand sanitizers is directly tied to the alcohol percentage. The CDC recommends that you only buy hand sanitizers that have a higher alcohol percentage, with the minimum recommended being 60%. Do not buy alcohol-free hand sanitizers as they do not work very well.
Even if a hand sanitizer with a high percentage of alcohol can kill many microbes, it cannot remove dirt and other harmful chemicals. This is why you need to use hand sanitizers in combination with soap and water. Hand sanitizers are great for their practicality and effectiveness, especially with the pandemic still going in full swing.
Proper Use Is Key
The alcohol percentage of the hand sanitizer is very important, but using it properly is essential. You should cover as much as you can on both hands. This means that you should apply hand sanitizer on both the front and back sides as well as the places between your fingers. You need to continue rubbing your hands until the sanitizer has completely dried out for maximum effectiveness.
Choose the Right Sanitizer
Remember that you should buy a hand sanitizer with at least 60% isopropyl alcohol. Anything less than that will not be nearly as effective for killing germs. If you have sensitive skin, make sure that you buy one without any harmful additives to minimize irritation. Alcohol itself can dry out the skin, which is why you need to look for a hand sanitizer that is non-drying and moistures your skin.
Avoid buying natural or herbal hand sanitizers as they are not very effective. While many different plants do have antimicrobial effects, they cannot replace alcohol. It is a nice bonus if a good hand sanitizer includes some herbals, but it is optional.
Summary
Hand sanitizers are great for their convenience. You can bring them with you wherever you go and use them on both your hands and other surfaces that you touch. Remember that you need to buy a hand sanitizer that has at least 60% isopropyl alcohol. Make sure that you cover both your hands and rub them until they are completely dry. While hand sanitizers cannot replace soap and water, they are an amazing little thing that will work pretty well in a pinch and kill most germs.
