You might prefer good ol’ soap and water, and I do have to hand it to you on that because washing your hands with soap and water is the most effective to remove dirt, grease and germs from your hands. However, when water and soap are not available, hand sanitizer is the best solution for squeaky clean hands.
Is hand sanitiser effective? How to use hand sanitizer? Does the percentage of alcohol matter? Should I buy liquid hand sanitiser or hand sanitizing gel? Is it safe for children? These are all good questions that we’ve been asking since hand sanitisers disappeared from the shelves and now that you can finally buy them again, here are the answers to your questions!
Is hand sanitiser effective?
Yes! Hand sanitiser can kill germs, bacteria and viruses which help you avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. Plus, according to this study on the Harvard Medical School, “frequent use of hand sanitizer, instead of soap and water, may lead to fewer respiratory infections, fewer sick days, and less antibiotic use – at least if you’re a toddler.”
How to use hand sanitizer?
Ocean Free, hand sanitizing manufacturer, has published a how-to guide on how to properly use hand sanitiser. You should sanitize your palms, fingers, back of the hands, fingernails, thumbs, wrists and wait for the hand sanitiser to dry.
Does the percentage of alcohol matter?
Yes! As this article on the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mentions, “that sanitizers with an alcohol concentration between 60–95% are more effective at killing germs than those with a lower alcohol concentration or non-alcohol-based hand sanitizers.”
Liquid hand sanitiser or hand sanitizing gel?
Both types of hand sanitiser will work equally well. It comes down to personal preference and the type of application required. For instance, liquid hand sanitiser is better suited for hand sanitising spray dispensers and spray bottles. Ocean Free supply a wide range of liquid hand sanitiser and hand sanitising gel to meet all of your needs plus, their hand sanitizer gel has moisturising properties that will leave your hands feeling soft and refreshed!
Is it safe for children?
Yes, under adult supervision. It’s important to teach your children how to safely use hand sanitiser and to keep it out of reach when stored as “young children, especially toddlers, may be attracted by the pleasant smell and the brightly coloured bottles” as this article on the Canadian Paediatric Society explains.
