Everything you wanted to know about hand sanitizers

What's to know about hand sanitizers? It is approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a method to cleanse our hands. But what is this mysterious product that teachers are giving to children all day.

Hand sanitizers are manufactured as gels, foam and liquid solutions. They incorporate a base of alcohol with moisturizer.

Pros: Hand sanitizers kill virus and bacteria! It kills bacteria ranging from antibiotic resistant. It kills TB bacteria. As far as the virus, alcohol based hand sanitizers inactivate the flu virus and even the common cold. And even kills fungus. Also, alcohol rubs don't dry your hands out like soap. At the 42nd Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America it was revealed that families that used hand sanitizer had a 59% reduction in gastrointestinal illness compared with families that didn't use sanitizer.

Cons: To be effective at killing germs and microbes, the alcohol concentration must be at least 60% . The problem, in America, some hand sanitizers are only 40% alcohol concentration. Consumers could actually be using a placebo.

Danger: There are urban legends of the dangers of hand sanitizers. The legend is real. But, it is a danger shared by so many household items. It's a potential threat mainly to children. Every year in America, more than 12,000 cases of child-related alcohol-poisoning are directly attributed to hand sanitizer products. And on a less serious scale, there have been reports of children that licked the alcohol rub off their hands, and got drunk. So watch those kids.

The flammability of the alcohol is a rarer feat. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control recommends rubbing hands till they are dry. The dryness signifies that the alcohol has fully evaporated.

Point blank: Hand sanitizers are not recommended for hands that are "visibly soiled" from soil, dirt, and debris. The Food and Drug Administration does not recommend hand sanitizers to be used in place of soap when one is dealing with food. The classic soap and water is still recommended to rinse off the grime. When the hands appear clean, empty, and not discolored, then alcohol rubs are a useful alternative.

When: Hand Sanitizers are perfect on the go. A handy compliment when dealing with public transportation, public shopping places, animals, etc.

Should it be used in combination with soap and water? Sure. Health and cleanliness is a wonderful time for overkill. We are talking about germs here.

Learn more about this author, Brent Mckibben.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about Everything you wanted to know about hand sanitizers?
We want to hear your view. Write now!