Hand Sanitizer or Soap? Which Should You Use?
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by
PHS
To use hand sanitizer or soap… that is the question! Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, people are more aware and conscious of the threat of bacteria than they have been in a long time. We have to more savvy and diligent in ways to keep ourselves and loved ones safe. One of the first lines of defence is good hand hygiene.
Good hand hygiene practices is mostly a matter of thought. Being aware of what we are touching and how we are using our hands. We use our hands for a lot of different things. We use them so often that we don’t even think about what we’ve touched recently or what might be transferred through our touch. There is a time and place to use both hand sanitizer and hand soap. Using them effectively is really a matter of understanding when it’s appropriate to use each.
The 411 on Hand Sanitizer
One of the great things about hand sanitizer is that it tends to be convenient, quick, and easy. You don’t need access to a water source or even a way to dry your hands. When the pandemic first hit there was a shortage of all things people thought were essentials. One of those items was hand sanitizer. Many people viewed hand sanitizer as crucial to safeguarding their health. Hand sanitizer is pretty great but it’s meant for a short-term solution only and it’s not always effective.
Germs and bacteria can be pretty resilient and hand sanitizer can’t destroy them all. It can leave bacteria on your skin that will grow again. Since it can’t effectively kill all bacteria, the bacteria left on the skin can continue to grow again. Hand sanitizer also will do nothing to remove other chemicals on the hands, such as pesticides, that are inactive.
People don’t always use hand sanitizer properly either or use too little to be effective. Research has shown that it’s also not very effective when hands are already heavily soiled or greasy. Hand sanitizer doesn’t actually clean our hands, it only does what the name suggests which is sanitize. While that sounds like a great thing, it’s problematic because it’s only sanitizing the top layer of whatever is on our hands. So if our hands are dirty and bacteria is layered in the grime, the sanitizer will only be effective on the top layer of dirt. It doesn’t penetrate deeply or break down bacteria.
The Benefits of Hand Washing
Soap is one of the best defences we have against viruses, bacteria, and the illnesses they cause. It’s because soap is super effective at breaking down bacteria and viruses on a molecular level. The soap molecules destroy the surface membranes of many bacteria and viruses. When we lather the hands and use that lather to scrub, it also creates the friction to lift and wash away grease, dirt, and other microbes that may be on our skin.
So if soap is so great, why don’t people just wash their hands more? Washing hands is not always an available option. We might not always have immediate access to soap and running water. People may not understand the real benefits of soap or perhaps may not have been ever shown how to effectively wash their hands.
We should also be washing our hands for longer than most people tend to. Some people have developed the habit of just getting soap and water on their hands and then rinsing it off instead of taking the time to lather up the soap and properly scrub their hands. We should be scrubbing for at least 20 seconds or two rounds of “Happy Birthday”.
Hand Sanitizer or Soap?
In a time of heightened awareness of bacteria and viruses, it can be tempting to reach for something that smells like disinfectant. Not only can it feel like we are taking a more serious response to protecting ourselves but the smell associated with disinfectant can feel reassuring. It’s important that we remember all the benefits of soap and that just because it’s a common item we use often, doesn’t make it any less effective.
If we have a choice between washing our hands or using hand sanitizer, we should always choose to wash our hands. It is simply a more effective method to destroying viruses and bacteria and keeping us and our loved ones safe.
So is there ever an appropriate time to use hand sanitizer? Absolutely! We should default to hand sanitizer when washing our hands isn’t an available option. It is the short-term solution to give us some time to find a place to wash our hands.
Protecting Our Health, One Day at a Time
Health is something that we have because of the day-to-day choices we make. Each healthy choice we helps safeguards us from illness and disease. Often it’s those small decisions, like how we approach our hand hygiene, that can make a big difference to us. Practice good hand hygiene and wash your hands often, not just in times of a pandemic. Progressive Housing Society works closely with clients to ensure they have their hygiene needs met, particularly in times of crisis. You can make a difference in keeping people healthy by contributing to our efforts. Please donate now and contribute to the health of your community!
