Hand SanitizersWhat are hand sanitizers?Hand sanitizers are substances used as a substitute for washing the hands with soap and water, they are usually alcohol based, and are effective in killing many small organisms that might be present on dirty hands.
Hand sanitizers are also known as alcohol rubs. Why use hand sanitizers?There are many benefits to hand sanitizers: - For private use: When doing chores in the house, it is sometimes boring to wash the hands after every exposure to dust or dirt, carrying a small bottle of alcohol rub around is easy, and it can be used after each time contaminated material is manipulated.This will decrease greatly the incidence of infections, but what is possibly more useful is the effect on mold spores which are deactivated by alcohol and do not produce the same degree of allergy.
- In hospitals: The hand sanitizers are mandatory in many modern hospitals for all health workers, because of the effectiveness of frequent disinfection of the hands in limiting super-infections acquired from the hospital.
What are the types of hand sanitizers?- Liquid alcohol based, which might contain ethanol or isopropanol with or without additional antibacterial substances.
It has been proven that concentrations of alcohol less than 70% are not effective, and that adding other antiseptics to alcohol rubs will double the efficacy.
- Alcohol-based gels which are less effective than the liquid form.
- Alcohol foam.
Precautions while using hand sanitizers:- The alcohol in hand sanitizers is poisonous, as ethanol is rarely used alone and iso-propanol is toxic, so it is not suitable for drinking!
- Preparations with a good moisturizer mixed with the alcohol are preferred because the alcohol might dry out the skin (especially for eczema sufferers).
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