How to Buy an Effective Hand Sanitizer

Thoroughly washing your hands with warm water and soap remains the best way to sanatize your hands and avoid the spread of germs and disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends washing your hands with soap under running water for at least 15 seconds.

However, there are occasions when using soap and water is not possible. Fortunately, you can still sanitize your hands by taking advantage of hand-sanitizing solutions to reduce the number of germs on your hands and the spread of disease. Hand sanitizers are either alcohol-based or derived from herbal extracts and some sanitizers contain a combination of both. If you’re wondering what kind of sanitizing solutions are effective, here are some pointers to help you choose one.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Opt for hand sanitizing solutions that contain at least 60 percent alcohol for maximum effectiveness against germs. Studies indicate that sanitizing products containing less than 60 percent alcohol are not effective, as they do not contain enough alcohol to kill germs. You can find sanitizing solutions and products on the market in the form of gels, foam and spray. An example of an effective alcohol-based sanitizer is Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer.

2. Look for alcohol-free sanitizing solutions, which according to tests, are just as effective as the alcohol-base products. An example of such products is Smart & Silky Instant Foaming Hand Sanitizer. According to data on the Medical News website, it destroys about 99 percent of microbes within 15 seconds.

3. Choose hand-sanitizing solutions that contain herbal extracts of lavender, tea tree, golden seal, or pau d’arco if you prefer a natural product. You can find natural hand sanitizers at any health-food store. Herbal extracts such as these contain antiseptic properties that are effective against viruses as well as bacteria.

Tips & Warnings

• Herbal base sanitizing solutions often contain hand-moisturizing ingredients.
• Many parents prefer natural hand-sanitizing solutions for children. They are concerned that children could accidentally ingest the solution on their hands.
• According to the CDC, if you use a hand-sanitizing solution such as a gel or foam and your hands dry within the 15 seconds, you did not use sufficient gel or foam to kill the germs on your hands.
• Keep sanitizing solutions away from children at all times.

Resources

• Wash Your Hands
• The Medical News