These 3 Mistakes Can Render Hand Sanitizer Ineffective
The
use of hand sanitizer has increased greatly in recent months, as it is
the best way to keep our hands clean on the go when soap and water are
not readily available. Keeping the hands clean is key in the protection
against the novel coronavirus, and having a bottle of alcohol-based hand
sanitizer is great. However, squirting some on your hands and giving
them a quick wipe may not be enough. For the sanitizer to be as
effective as possible, it is important to make sure it’s up to the CDC
standard (contains at least 60% alcohol), isn’t expired, and that you
avoid the following mistakes when using it.
1. Not using enough
According to the CDC,
the proper amount of hand sanitizer should cover the entire surface of
your hands. Not putting enough sanitizer on your palm is the most common
mistake people make. If you’re worried about using too much, you can
rest assured it doesn’t hold any risks. According to health experts,
using too much is better than using too little. Make sure you get both
sides of your fingertips, between the fingers and the outsides of your
thumbs. For your convenience, there is an infographic with the proper
instructions at the bottom of the page.
2. Not waiting for the sanitizer to dry
The
time that the sanitizer is on your hands before it dries is the time
it’s working to inactivate certain bacteria and viruses. The CDC says
you should rub your hands together for about 20 seconds until they feel
dry. If you don’t do so, you can end up wiping the sanitizer off on
something you touch, and thus prevent it from doing its job and render
it ineffective.
3. You rely solely on hand sanitizer
As
mentioned earlier, hand sanitizer is a great resource when water and
soap are inaccessible. If possible, washing your hands is proven to be
the most effective way to annihilate germs.
Moreover, if there is grease or dirt on your hands from handling food
or playing sports, for example, hand sanitizer simply will not do the
trick. “If there is dirt covering part of your hand, hand sanitizer
cannot really effectively get to the surface of your hand,” said a Dr. “People think hand sanitizer is a reasonable replacement for washing your hands, but it definitely is not”.
Recognize
that using hand sanitizer properly is an effective way to slow the
potential spread of the coronavirus, but it should not be the only
preventative measure you are taking.
Step by step guide to applying hand sanitizer correctly:
