Wash your hands with soap or hand sanitizer? Which Is Better?

Medical Video: Are you washing your hands long enough to kill germs?

If you want to sterilize your hands quickly, you can reach for a hand bottle sanitizer. But how effective sanitizer compared to hand washing using soap and water?

Alcohol-based cleansers can be used to clean hands, but may not be used as a substitute for soap and water. Although alcohol-based hand sanitizers (with a percentage of alcohol 60% or more) can reduce the number of germs, but they cannot reduce the spread of some viruses, such as norovirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). To find out more about the comparison between soap and sanitizer alcohol based, let's look below.

Pros and cons of using hand washing hand sanitizer

Although hand sanitizer can reduce the growth of certain microorganisms, but there are a number of pros and cons from the following experts on alcohol-based hand sanitizers:

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are not a good cleaning agent in eradicating dirt. They were never intended to be used as a substitute for hand washing in all situations. If there is dirt visible on your hand, sanitizer will not be effective for cleaning it.
The CDC shows that sanitizer can disable many microbes very effectively if used correctly. However, many people do not use sanitizer with sufficient volume or not even rubbing his hands during the recommended time (between 40-60 seconds).
The two main issues that can challenge nurses in meeting hand hygiene are the time and access to hand washing. Because sanitizer does not require a sink and pipe, so alcohol-based cleaners can be placed anywhere. You can even carry it in your pocket.
Dr. Richard T. Ellison III of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, said that sanitizer can replace soap and water if there is no visible dirt on the hand. Antibacterials in alcohol are very effective in killing microorganisms, but alcohol must directly touch these microorganisms. If there is a lot of dirt on the hand, sanitizer may not reach microorganisms that are under dirt.

Pros and cons of washing hands with soap

According to the CDC, hand washing using soap and water is the best way to wash hands. Even so, washing hands with soap also has disadvantages. Here are the pros and cons of using soap when washing hands:

Dr. David Hooper, a head of the Infection Control Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, said that sanitizer easy and fast if used. Research also shows that it has antibacterial activity that is faster than soap and water. Hospital uses sanitizer because if you wash your hands with soap and water several times a day the skin will dry out, especially if in cold weather.
Carol McLay, RN, an Infection Prevention Consultant in Lexington, Ky., Said that washing hands with soap is the most effective way to prevent the spread of disease. Although sanitizer can reduce the number of bacteria quickly in your hands, but they cannot eliminate all types of germs.

How to wash your hands well

1. With soap and water

The CDC shows that the best way to get germs free is to use soap and warm water to wash your hands. The right technique is very decisive. You should put your hands under clean warm water, use soap, then rub your hands together for 20 seconds. You can measure time by singing the song "ABC" or the song "Happy Birthday" from beginning to end. After that rinse your hands thoroughly, then use a clean towel or hand dryer to dry your hands.

2. With sanitizer

If you use sanitizer, then make sure that it contains 60% alcohol. If it's less than that, then it won't be effective in cleaning germs. When applying alcohol-based hand sanitizers, at least as much as half a teaspoon, rub your hands for 15-20 seconds until the hands dry. It is also important to note that sanitizer do not kill all types of germs.

Conclusion

If you have a choice, washing your hands with soap and water should always be your first choice. Although both are good for hand cleaning, it's important to remember that sanitizer cannot be used as a substitute for soap and water. Instead, it is only an alternative if you do not have the equipment to wash your hands with soap.