Why hand sanitizer is important & how to use it correctly

There is a difference between cleaning hands with soaps and using hand sanitizer. Soaps and hand washes remove all the dirt and germs from the hands, while hand sanitizer with a minimum of 60 percent alcohol content kills the germs. Hand sanitizers can play an important role in fighting germs and dirt, if used properly.

Advantages of hand sanitizers-

• Applying hand sanitizer while going out or shaking hands, touching things at a market store or receiving the parcels can be very helpful and thus decreases the risk of getting influenza symptoms or flu.
• Hand sanitizers work best if one wants to eliminate germs from their hands. They not only clean the hands but also kill 99.9 percent of germs off the hands.
• Hand sanitizers work perfect for crowded places. Having hand sanitizers at any crowded events can be useful for all the people attending the gathering.
• Soaps and hand washes cannot be carried everywhere. On the other hand, hand sanitizers are a portable option. It can be carried to any public place and help the person be hygienic as it comes in different shapes and bottles.
• Usage of hand sanitizers also reduces the quantity of waste. People can use hand sanitizers instead of paper towels after leaving their kitchens or washrooms to decrease the amount of waste.

How to use the hand sanitizers correctly?

The correct usage of hand sanitizer involves different important aspects- quantity of use, consistency, and proper technique, and when to stop. In order to use a hand sanitizer properly, one must follow the guidelines mentioned below-

• Take out the little or recommended amount of hand sanitizer in one hand.
• Rub both the hands together and cover the entire area, front as well as back, of the hand.
• Rub both the hands for 15 to 20 seconds or until the hands become dry.

Proper usage of hand sanitizer also include the timings when one should avoid using the hand sanitizer-

• Hand sanitizers should be avoided when there is no soap or water or hand wash.
• Hand sanitizers should not be used when there is visible dirt on the hands. It will only make it worse. The visible dirt or dust can go away with only one proper hand wash, so one should not use hand sanitizer in this situation.
• One should not use the hand sanitizer constantly as it can make the germs tolerant to the hand sanitizer or alcohol.
• Usage of hand sanitizers should be avoided around children. The inhalation of alcohol based sanitizer can cause adverse effects on the children’s health.
• The usage of hand sanitizers should be avoided if one keeps touching their face.
• Hand sanitizers should not be used when there is any kind of chemical present on the hands.