Keeping the hands clean with soap and water or the use of hand sanitizers is effective in preventing the transmission of dangerous diseases.
What exactly is hand sanitizer? A hand sanitizer is a gel, foam, and liquid solution which acts as an substitute to hand washing with soap and water. There are two types of hand sanitizers, alcohol based hand sanitizers and non-alcohol hand sanitizers.
Alcohol based hand sanitizers kill viruses and bacteria due to its alcohol content. The amount of alcohol in these sanitizers varies between 60% and 85%. Common hand sanitizers found in the market contain 62% of alcohol. The most common brands of alcohol hand rubs include Purell sanitizers, Avant, Sterillium, Desderman and Allsept S.
Some hand sanitizers come with extra ingredients including natural products and essential oils. These hand sanitizers can kill germs as well as moisturize the skin. Hospitals use sanitizer dispensers equipped with elbow controlled mechanism to avoid any contact while using the pump.
Non-alcohol based hand sanitizers use small quantity of benzalkonium chloride or triclosan to kill gems.
As they do not contain alcohol, which is a preservative, the non-alcohol based hand sanitizers could become contaminated.
How to Utilize Hand Sanitizer
Hand sanitizers could kill most bacteria and viruses immediately while on the skin. What is the correct way to use it and when should we use it?
The proper way of using hand sanitizer is as shown below:
- Apply enough sanitizer gel to wet your hands
- Rub the solution over all surfaces of your hands and fingers for few seconds until your hands are dry.
- Wash your hands with soap and water if they hands are visibly dirty.
- When to apply the sanitizer gel? You should sanitizer your hands:
- before and after preparing food.
- before meals.
- before and after treating patients.
- after using the toilet.
- after touching an animal.
- after coughing or sneezing into your hands.
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 viruses like flu virus, the common cold virus, and HIV and many bacteria for example antibiotic resistant bacteria and TB bacteria. They 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 agents may not produce this effect. Rubbing your hands until dry could minimize the risk of fire. This is because it only takes few second for the flammable alcohol in hand sanitizers to evaporate into the air. Your hands are dry means that the alcohol is gone.
