Sanitizer

Why Hand Sanitizer Doesn’t Work as Efficiently as We Think

Don’t get me wrong, though. Sanitizers are useful, even more during quarantine, and the whole society’s fall down due to Corona Virus is probably one of the best situations to rely on them. It’s accessible, cheap, and depending on the type of product you buy, available at any time.

But people rely too much on sanitizer, to the point of believing it is a perfect countermeasure against spreading Covid-19 through contact, whereas it’s far from being perfect. At least, standard versions of the product.

This article is for those wanting to know how standard versions of sanitizer works, how it can affect you, and some alternatives you can try.

Effectiveness of Regular Hand Sanitizer

There’s a belief going around that, although not very popular, is still present, and is that any type of sanitizer works to deal with bacteria and viruses. It’s important to note this because some people are still unaware of the truth: only certain types of sanitizers work.

The main rule behind a sanitizer to be effective against Corona Virus is that it requires having at least 60% of alcohol in its formula, as mentioned in this blog article portraying more detailed information on the matter.

That is why not all sanitizers work, so whenever you purchase one, make sure it contains this amount of alcohol at the very least.

Still, People Might Not Be Using It Correctly

Another problem that is present in current society is that, although most people have the correct product with the right composition to fight against COVID 19, they might not be using it properly.

And that is because of two things: they are not applying it at the right time, and they don’t know how to spread it on the hand. You see, hand sanitizers are not as effective if you are hands are not dry and clean, thus, wet hands or hands that have been unwashed for a long time will not receive as many benefits from it as they should.

Also, I’ve seen a lot of people applying the product in the palm of their hands just to rub it out and call it a day, when they actually should try to cover as much as possible when they do it. Ideally, you should make sure that the back and front of your hands and nails, your fingertips, sides of the finger, and in between, your knuckles, the inside of the nail, and the wrist are properly dealt with.

You can learn more about it over here https://www.advisory.com/daily-briefing/2020/03/12/hand-sanitizer.

Then, an important thing to know is to let the sanitizer rest and dry on its own. This is what creates a protective layer that will deal with bacteria and virus for some time. If you wash your hands right away or use a cloth you’ll be wasting your efforts.

soap

Still, Not as Effective as Soap

Now, if you understand the logic behind how sanitizers work in comparison to simple soap and water, you’ll understand the reasoning behind this statement.

You see, sanitizer containing at least 60% of alcohol is capable of neutralizing viruses and bacteria, thus, making them harmless and incapable of infecting you. Still, there’s a chance, although very small (and based on the quality of the product and your rubbing technique) that you’ll miss out on some of these viruses, and that’s where the problems begin.

Soap works completely differently, though. First of all, constantly applying sanitizer has been proven to cause damage to your skin, and secondly, it might even cause health problems depending on the individual. These are some of the downsides of sanitizers.

On the other hand, soap is not as harmful, and instead of neutralizing Corona Virus and bacteria, it helps you get rid of it, completely. Soap and water are capable of removing these factors from your skin and reducing the risk by a mile since the factors are not there to cause any harm.

Of course, knowing how to clean your hands is important, but it is much more effective because soap is more liquid thanks to water and can cover more space way easier in comparison to regular sanitizer.

That is why you should consider sanitizers as an alternative to use whenever water and soap are not present and take countermeasures regarding this to help you protect yourself and your family.

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