The primary reason for the demand in sanitizing products is to prevent illness and for a means of cleaning your hands when a wash room is not in reach
. However, with so many different brands and types of sanitizers available you may be wondering how the product is made and just how it works. This article will help you along the way in understanding what makes up sanitizer and how it can help you and your family.
According to the FDA, Hand sanitizer should be used to compliment regular washing of the hands. The active ingredient in the product is usually isopropanol, ethanol, or n-propanol alcohol. The alcohol is responsible for killing 99.9% of germs on the hands. Sanitizing formulas that contains alcohol are more effective in killing germs than soap and water. There are also non active ingredients in sanitizer which are usually a thickening agent like polyacrylic acid within the gels, humectants like glycerin within the liquid rubs and propylene glycol oils of different kinds of plants.
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) one should use the sanitizers when soap and water is not available. However, for the versions that do contain alcohol a concentration of at least 60% alcohol should be present in order for the product to be effective. The alcohol versions are capable of killing many kinds of bacteria, including antibiotic resistant bacteria and TB bacteria. There are also various brands of sanitizing products that do not contain alcohol. In that case, they generally utilize benzalkonium chloride.
The alcohol based sanitizers are effective in killing bacteria over viruses. Viruses cannot be killed but the use of sanitizer can make your hands a less hospitable environment for them. The sanitizing product is usually only effective when applied correctly. To correctly apply the sanitizer you should apply the product to the palm of your writing hand. Proceed to thoroughly rub your hands together and rub the product over all surfaces of your hands and fingers until it's dry. You should use enough to saturate your skin entirely. Allow the product to air dry for roughly twenty five seconds. Despite common belief the use of hand sanitizer is actually less drying to ones skin than soap and water.