Does Hand Sanitizer Work?

 How effective is hand sanitizer in preventing disease? The answer may surprise you.

If you've visited a drug store lately, you probably noticed the empty shelves where hand sanitizers normally sit.

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With the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, it's not surprising that many people are taking extra steps to stay safe, including stocking up on sanitizing sprays, gels and soaps. But are hand sanitizers the best defense against bacteria and viruses like coronavirus and influenza?

Companies that market these products (which are sometimes labeled "antibacterial" or "antimicrobial") say yes. But some consumer advocates say no, arguing that they aren't effective and have the potential to engender bacterial strains that resist antibiotics.

As it turns out, the best answer is to take a common-sense approach.

How useful are hand sanitizers?

They're useful in the hospital, to help prevent the transfer of viruses and bacteria from one patient to another by hospital personnel. Beyond a hospital setting, it's very difficult to show that hand sanitizing products are useful.

Outside of the hospital most people catch respiratory viruses from direct contact with people who already have them, and hand sanitizers won't do anything in those circumstances. And they haven't been shown to have more disinfecting power than just washing your hands with soap and water.   

Convenient cleaning

The portable hand sanitizers do have a role during peak respiratory virus season [roughly November to April] because they make it much easier to clean your hands.

It's much more difficult when you sneeze to wash your hands than it is to use a hand sanitizer, especially when you are outdoors or in a car. The hand sanitizers are much more convenient, so they make it more likely that people will clean their hands, and that's better than not cleaning at all.

According to the Centers for Diseae Control (CDC), however, for hand sanitizer to be effective it must be used correctly. That means using the proper amount (read the label to see how much you should use), and rubbing it all over the surfaces of both hands until your hands are dry. Do not wipe your hands or wash them after applying.

Are all hand sanitizers created equal?

It's important to make sure any hand sanitizer you do use contains at least 60 percent alcohol. 

Studies have found that sanitizers with lower concentrations or non-alcohol-based hand sanitizers are not as effective at killing germs as those with 60 to 95 percent alcohol.

In particular, non-alcohol-based sanitizers may not work equally well on different types of germs and could cause some germs to develop resistance to the sanitizer.

Are hand sanitizers and other antimicrobial products bad for you?

There is no proof that alcohol-based hand sanitizers and other antimicrobial products are harmful.

They could theoretically lead to antibacterial resistance. That's the reason most often used to argue against using hand sanitizers. But that hasn't been proven. In the hospital, there hasn't been any evidence of resistance to alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

However, while there aren't any studies showing that custom hand sanitizer definitely pose a threat, there also isn't any evidence that they do a better job of protecting you from harmful bacteria than soap.

So while hand sanitizers have their place — in hospitals or when you can't get to a sink — washing with soap and warm water is almost always a better choice. 

Antibacterial soap vs regular soap: which is better?

Antibacterial soap vs regular soap: which is better?

We are exposed to millions of bacteria and bacteria every day. Many of us use antibacterial merchandise to minimize our danger of getting in poor health or germs and microorganisms on others - however, are they genuinely greater positive at killing the "bad guys' ' than everyday soap?

Antibacterial soap

Antibacterial cleaning soap is any cleansing product to which lively antimicrobial components have been added. Today, more than 75 percent of the liquid soaps in our supermarket aisles contain some antibacterial ingredient. While triclosan is the most common, some antibacterial products contain alcohol, benzalkonium chloride, and other antibacterial agents. Click here to buy personal protection kit online.

Benefits of antibacterial soap

• Antibacterial cleaning products are effective in healthcare facilities (hospitals, nursing homes, and other medical facilities) where patients' immune systems are weakened.
• Hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol is an effective alternative when a person does not have access to soap and warm water.
• Antibacterial cleaning products are effective for cleaning tasks in vet offices and pet homes.

Disadvantages of antibacterial soap

• The FDA has stated there is "no evidence" that antimicrobial cleaning soap merchandise holds human beings more healthy than normal soap.
• The employer now requires manufacturers of antibacterial merchandise to exhibit that the chemical compounds are secure for long-term everyday use and to maintain human beings more healthy than washing fingers with ordinary cleaning soap and water.
• Overuse of antibacterial merchandise can limit the number of healthful microorganisms on a person's skin, which can make antibiotics much less positive in combat new lines of a microorganism referred to as superbugs.
• Using antibacterial soap or hand sanitizer can make people think they don't need to wash their hands as thoroughly or often.

Tips for using hand sanitizer

When soap and running water are not available, using alcohol-based hand cleansers can be an effective alternative. Note that disinfectants do not remove all types of bacteria and should not be used when the hands are visibly greasy or dirty. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following tips for children and adults using custom hand sanitizer:

1. Apply hand sanitizer to the palm of one hand (read the product label for the recommended amount).
2. Rub hands together.
3. Rub the product on all surfaces of your hands and fingers until dry. 

Regular soap

Regular soap is designed to reduce the surface tension of water and to lift dirt and oil from the surfaces for easy rinsing. While regular soap has no added antibacterial chemicals, it is effective at removing bacteria and other germs.

Benefits of Regular Soap

• Antibacterial soaps are no more effective than regular soap and water at killing pathogenic bacteria, according to the CDC.
• Regular soap is usually cheaper than antibacterial soap and hand sanitizers.
• Normal soap does not kill healthy bacteria on the skin surface.

Disadvantages of regular soap

• Regular cleaning soap is no longer as transportable as antibacterial hand sanitizers.
• People may not wash their hands thoroughly enough to kill bad bacteria with regular soap.

Tips for washing your hands

Washing hands with antibacterial or regular soap and water are one of the best ways to get rid of germs, get sick, and prevent the spread of germs to others. The CDC recommends these five tips for effective handwashing:

1. Wet your fingers with warm, walking water and add soap.
2. Rub your hands together and make a soapy foam. Wash the front and back of the hands, between your fingers and under the nails,  for at least 20 seconds or two rounds of the song "Happy Birthday".
3. Rinse your hands well under running warm water.
4. Dry your palms absolutely with a smooth towel or air dryer.
5. Drain the water with a clean paper towel and dispose of it properly. 

The bottom line is that any type of soap can rid your hands of harmful bacteria when used correctly, but antibacterial gel or soap such as Dettol can work very effectively against harmful bacteria, germs or viruses. and Parents, don't forget to teach your kids to practice the above handwashing techniques and have a supply of hand sanitizer in your bag when you're out and about to fight bacteria or germs. "