Hand Sanitizer Provides A Convenient Alternative To Soap And Water

It seems today that most families are constantly on the go. Many days, busy moms and dads will rarely be in a place where soap and water are readily available, yet they will be bombarded with germs and pathogens that can easily be introduced to the body and lead to a nasty cold. Carrying hand sanitizer in your car, purse, or diaper bag is a convenient and affordable way to ensure that you and your family stay healthy and free from common germs that cause illness.

Most doctors will tell you that the best way to stay healthy is to wash your hands. This makes perfect sense when you take a moment to think about all of the things you touch during the day. Shopping cart handles, the buttons on the ATM machine, doorknobs and elevator buttons- the list goes on and on. Now think about all of the other people who also touch those same items everyday without sanitizer.

If you pay attention to this the next time you go out, you will likely see someone cough or sneeze into their hand, or even wipe their nose. Now whatever that person touches is going to be covered in cold germs and you are more than likely going to come into contact with a surface that they, or someone else, has touched.

Your hands are the most common transporter of germs and pathogens into your system. Once pathogens are on the surface of your hands, all you have to do to transfer them into your body is touch your mouth or nose, or rub your eyes. These are unconscious gestures that we make everyday without even thinking about it.

Avoiding cold germs is not the only reason to practice good hygiene. We also want to avoid spreading our germs about as well! It is important to cleanse your hands after visiting the restroom, before eating, or after you cough, sneeze, or blow your nose.

The best way to prevent these pathogens from getting into your body is to wash your hands with soap and water. If a restroom with a sink is available, wash your hands using soap and hot water for fifteen to twenty seconds. Be sure to get the fronts and backs of your hands, as well as in between your fingers. Rinse thoroughly and dry. Of course we all know that often a sink with soap and water is not always going to be available. In these cases, using an alcohol based hand cleanser is a perfectly suitable alternative.

Most commercial waterless cleansers contain some sort of alcohol as their active ingredient. Usually this is isopropanol, ethanol, n-propanol, or povidone-iodine. Look for one with a minimum of 60 percent alcohol content. Anything less will not be effective in killing germs. The best types contain between seventy and ninety five percent alcohol content.

Maintaining good hygiene is the best way to keep yourself and your family healthy. Carrying hand sanitizer, such as Purell, with you is one way to ensure that you do not contract a virus that can lead to a cold or diarrhea, two of the most common ailments associated with unclean hands. Hand washing with soap and water is the preferred method for hand cleansing, but using alcohol-based cleansers comes in at a very close second.