The Case Against Hand Sanitizer Versus Soap
Your hands touch hundreds of things throughout the day. You don’t even think about the things you touch then touch your face. It’s critical that you make keeping your hands clean a top priority for your health. So, is soap or hand sanitizer better to keep your hands clean? We’ve got all you need to know about hand sanitizer versus soap.
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Hand Sanitizer Pros
Buying mini hand sanitizer in bulk is normal for many people these days. You’ll find these cute little sanitizers on keychains and purses. Hand sanitizer is great for many people because it’s so easy to take anywhere. You can quickly flip it out of your bag and apply it to your hands. You can pump a few drips out of your hand sanitizer in the car as soon as you shut the door. It’s easy and fast. With just a spray or a drop, you feel protected against germs lurking on your hands.
Hand Sanitizer Cons
Hand sanitizer will kill germs on your hands, but it won’t clean those hands. They cannot usually get rid of every germ hiding in your hands. Hand sanitizer has a tough time killing off norovirus, Cryptosporidium, and Clostridium difficile. All of these germs lead to diarrhea. One thing many people don’t enjoy about hand sanitizers is that it often leaves your hands dry due to the high alcohol content. If you don’t mind using a lotion with your hand sanitizer, you’re just fine with this con.
Image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay
Soap And Water Pros
Soap and water are a great way to get rid of germs if you do it the right way. Hand sanitizers cannot remove the dirt and debris from your hands like soap and water. Soap removes these things from your skin. If you don’t properly wash your hands, the point is mute. You need to make sure you run your hands under water that is running. You must lather your hands and your fingers with soap. Then you scrub them for 20 seconds. After this, rinse your hands with clean water. It seems simple, but many people just put a dot of soap on their hands under water and think they’ve done the job. It’s also important to dry your hands after cleaning them so you don’t transmit germs as easily.
Soap And Water Cons
The toughest thing about washing your hands with soap and water is that you don’t always have access to it. It’s tough to wash your hands in your car after grocery shopping. It’s hard to find a sink with soap and water at the ballpark after practice. There is also a debate between soap and antibacterial soap. You can go the extra mile if you feel, but antibacterial soap doesn’t do much differently than soap. It’s really all about the lathering and rinsing.
When Soap And Water Aren’t Around
When you don’t have access to soap and water, it’s best to find a reliable hand sanitizer. It may surprise you, but they aren’t all made the same. Try to avoid alcohol-free kinds, even though they will keep your hands from drying out. They cannot kill viruses as well as the alcohol in your everyday hand sanitizer. You must find a hand sanitizer that contains at least 62–70% ethyl alcohol. The alcohol needs to be enough so that it takes away almost 100 percent of the germs that are hanging out on your hands. It does not matter if you prefer gel, foam or spray. It matters the amount of alcohol. It also matters how much you use on your hands. Make sure your hands are saturated with hand sanitizer. It will take about 20 seconds for them to dry.
Natural And Specialized Hand Sanitizer
There are hand sanitizers on the market with benzalkonium chloride. This ingredient will reduce viruses and bacteria on your hands. It will not remove as many as alcohol-based sanitizers. One wild thing about this ingredient is that it will actually kill the norovirus, unlike many alcohol-based hand sanitizers. The problem is that it is not as effective against the coronavirus or the seasonal flu. Sometimes you will find hand sanitizer made with aloe vera. This will kill germs, but not enough to make a difference.
Killing The Good Bacteria
Hand sanitizer gets a bad reputation at times for killing the good bacteria with the bad bacteria on your hands. It does kill the good bacteria, but there is no evidence out there that says it can hurt you at all. It doesn’t mean the good bacteria won’t come back immediately when you touch a part of your body. You shouldn’t be fearful of hand sanitizer just because it kills both good and bad bacteria. You’re constantly picking up germs. It wouldn’t matter if you washed your hands after every step you took, you would still get germs on your body.
Travel Time
If you’re constantly on the move and don’t have access to clean and running water, stock up on hand sanitizer. You can buy mini hand sanitizer in bulk, and place them all around your home and car. It’s important to have access to sanitization to avoid disease. A tiny tube doesn’t take up much room and is easy to use. The most important thing to remember is that you need to keep your hands clean when you’re out of the house and in the outside world.
Final Thoughts
So, who wins the battle between hand sanitizer and soap? There is no clear winner. Hand sanitizer is quick and convenient. Soap and water ensure you wash away every little germ hiding in your hands. You must use both the right way for them to be effective at fighting germs. It’s critical to always wash your hands in some ways after being in a public area or coming in from outside. Before you touch food or your face, always wash your hands. By taking a few seconds to use hand sanitizer or soap and water, you could wash away a deadly disease.
Author: Brenda Vollman
