Nina Matthews Photography. Licensed by CC, NC ND 2.0. Accessed Oct 17, 2014.
With flu season and murmurs of Ebola upon us, hand hygiene has never been more important. While ideally soap and water remains the best way to wash away germs, we often don’t get a chance to lather up and scrub for 15 seconds prior to picking up a sandwich or reaching for a tissue to wipe a little ones’s runny nose.
Enter, hand sanitizers. These small squeeze tubes of cool gel can be a godsend; however, they could also be ineffective against viruses that cause the flu and the common cold.
How to Choose a Hand Sanitizer
According to the Centre of Disease Control, alcohol-based hand sanitizers that contain at least 60% alcohol are the most effective. In other words, non-alcohol and “natural” hand sanitizers do not get the job done.
Here are some of our picks for effective, tricolsan free (it’s being studied for potential links to cancer cell growth but is still in most antibacterial products on the market) and relatively non-drying hand sanitizers:
1. Purell Hand Sanitizer – a no-frills oldie and a goodie.
2. Sani-Hands Instant Hand Sanitizing Wipes – this specific brand is used in hospitals. Wipes are also a convenient way to disinfect surfaces or kids’ hands.
As a rule of thumb, rub a quarter sized dollop of hand sanitizer thoroughly on hands, between fingers and even on wrists to get the best clean.
Although Ebola still remains a distant scare for many people, the flu and the common cold tend to rear their ugly heads around this time of the year. Stay safe and stay healthy this flu season!
