Hand sanitizers are available in liquid, foam, and easy-flowing gels. The ideal composition is alcohol, antiseptics, sporicides, emollients, sterile water, and sometimes foaming agents and colorants. A quick list of facts about hand sanitizers follows below.
World Health Organization formula: In these times of the pandemic the recommended composition of a hand sanitizer is in every 10000 mL of distilled water an addition of ethanol 96%, glycerol 98%, and hydrogen peroxide 3%. This is the recommended composition and the materials are readily available worldwide. You have to be cautious and use only those sanitizers that have met the recommended mixture of measurements. A wrong mixture may result in poor quality sanitizers, and in some cases, could be harmful. Be sure to do your research so that you use sanitizers that are safe and effective.
Certification of products: The market is flooded with various brands of hand sanitizers. You are advised to take precautions in the ones you choose to purchase. Do you research and look for those that have been approved by the World Health Organization. This will guarantee that the hand sanitizer has been manufactured in the correct process. A good process entails that the right levels of ingredients have been mixed. A wrong measurement of methanol is known to be toxic to the skin. Also, substantial exposure is known to result in nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma, and permanent damage to the nervous system. It only benefits yourself to be well informed of the contents in the sanitizer you choose to avoid these terrible scenarios.
Application procedures for best results: You might be under the assumption that hand sanitizer is the ideal solution to clean all forms of dirt and germs. This is not the case. Most hand sanitizer is not the best product to disinfect bodily fluids, dirt, blood, or other visible dirt on your hands. These have to be first washed off before you apply hand sanitizer, ideally with soap and water. You also have to ensure that the amount of sanitizer you apply covers every part of the skin on your hands to kill the germs and bacteria.
Sanitizer enhancement: For a sanitizer to best benefit you the contents must be well balanced. The alcohol content level is recommended for between 60% and 70%. This level of alcohol will clean and prevent harmful germ transmission. However, it can be harsh on the skin. The hand sanitizer that is found in most public places will in most cases be of the recommended World Health Organization composition. In addition to using sanitizer, try carrying some form of moisturizer to protect your hands. Make sure to apply the sanitizer thoroughly to both hands and between your fingers. Let it sit for at least 15 seconds then follow with an application of moisturizer. This will protect your hands from drying out. Another option is to purchase a hand sanitizer that has the recommended standards and also dimethicone. It helps to heal and prevent irritation of the skin.
