Handwashing vs Using Hand Sanitizer

Handwashing vs Using Hand Sanitizer

Nowadays it is common to have antibacterial hand gel, often alcohol-based, available in shops, in schools, in hospitals and at home. The purpose is to block the spread of microorganisms that cause disease, especially gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses. It's hard to decide whether that is more effective than ordinary hand washing with soap, unless you examine the scientific evidence.

Soap is made from sodium hydroxide and fat, forming soap molecules. Soap molecules have a long chain of hydrocarbons and a cap at one end of sodium and oxygen. The hydrocarbon chain is non-polar and is attracted to oils and grease. The polarized cap of the soap molecule attracts water. The hydrocarbon chain attaches to the oils and dirt, and the water-loving cap of the molecule suspends the dirt and oil in water. It works better in alkaline water than in acid water, and better with hot water than cold water. (Borges 2007)

According to the authors of a study published in "Applied and Environmental Microbiology," hand sanitizer was relatively ineffective in reducing Norwalk virus on the human hand. Another study, reported in "Pediatrics," showed using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and disinfecting surfaces in the classroom significantly reduced gastrointestinal illness in students, but had no effect on the rate of respiratory illnesses. A study reported in "Pediatric Nursing" reported no difference in absentee rates between children who washed with soap and water and children who washed with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. A study conducted in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania where there is a shortage of water, reported in "The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene," demonstrated that hand sanitizer was significantly better than hand washing in reducing levels of fecal streptococci on the hands. (Fischler & Waggoner 2007)

Regardless of the setting, hand sanitizing should occur after using the bathroom, before and after food preparation, after coughing or blowing your nose and any time you see dirt on them. In the hospital, hand sanitizing needs to occur before touching a patient, after exposure to body fluids, before any procedure, after touching a patients and after touching anything in a patients surroundings, according to World Health Organization.

The Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health Care Settings published by the CDC in October 2005 advises the use of soap and water on hands soiled with visible dirt or contaminant. Soap mixes better with dirt and soil on the surface of the skin to clean them more thoroughly. Proper hand-washing technique requires you to wet your hands, apply soap, scrub all surfaces of your hands and wrists for at least 20 seconds, rinse your hands with warm water and turn off the faucet using a towel. (Hibbard 2005)

Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer when hands are not visibly soiled, advises the CDC in the October 2005 report. Alcohol hand sanitizers work by stripping off the outer layer of oil from your hands to destroy any microorganisms present. The University of Florida advises placing a dime-sized portion of alcohol hand sanitizer on your ...