Hand sanitizer has become an essential part of our everyday lives since the pandemic. It wasn’t a big deal earlier if you didn’t carry a sanitizer bottle with you, but now, it can prove dangerous for your health.
Doctors recommend maintaining good hand hygiene to protect yourself from various diseases. Washing hands with soap and water is the most effective way to prevent illnesses caused by germs. But, washing hands with soap is not always possible, especially when outdoors. In such situations, hand sanitizer is your biggest savior.
According to WHO, hand sanitizer or hand rub with at least 60% alcohol kills most germs on your hands. Not only does a hand sanitizer protect you from many bacterial and viral diseases, but it also prevents the spread of germs when you touch any surface.
As hand sanitizers have become an unavoidable part of our lives, you need to know all about them to use them to your advantage in the best ways possible.
When should you use hand sanitizer?
Though hand sanitizers effectively get rid of germs, they are not as helpful in certain situations. So, it is crucial to know when you should use it.
Use hand sanitizer to disinfect your hands:
- When soap and water are not readily available
- Upon touching public surfaces like doorknobs, tabletops, grocery cart, and so on
- Upon sneezing, coughing, or blowing your nose
- Before and after shaking hands with someone
- Before and after visiting a friend or family in a hospital or medical setting
- After touching an animal
- After handwashing, if you want added protection
The use of hand sanitizer is not very helpful when your hands are soiled, greasy, or visibly dirty. Hand sanitizers are also not very effective in removing certain harmful chemicals and pesticides. In such cases, you should wash your hands as soon as you can.
How to apply hand sanitizer for best results?
The effectiveness of sanitizer also depends upon factors other than the alcohol concentration or the condition of your hand. Its consistency, the quantity used, and the application technique also make a difference.
For best results, here’s how you should apply hand sanitizer:
- Apply sanitizer about the size of a coin on your palm (or follow the recommended quantity by the manufacturer).
- Rub your hands together thoroughly. Coat your entire hand with a sanitizer, including between fingers and the back of your hands.
- Rub until your hands completely feel dry. It should take about 20 seconds.
Be careful not to wipe off or rinse your hand until the sanitizer is dry, as it may not work well against the germs. Also, avoid applying sanitizer near inflammable sources like a lit gas stove or candle as alcohol quickly catches fire
How to choose the correct hand sanitizer?
With so many options available in the market and everyone claiming to be most effective, buying the best hand sanitizer can be confusing. Here are a few things you should look for in a sanitizer to ensure you’re using a good quality one that fits your needs.
Alcohol Concentration
The number one thing to consider while buying sanitizer is its alcohol concentration. The main ingredients of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer are isopropyl alcohol or ethyl alcohol, or a combination of both. Alcohol kills germs by dissolving their protective protein layers and disrupting their metabolism.
As recommended by the world’s leading health agencies like WHO and CDC, alcohol concentration in hand sanitizer is vital. Your hand sanitizer must have above 60% to 95% of alcohol to be effective against germs.
Alcohol concentrations below 60% are not very helpful in killing germs. Concentrations above 95% are also not recommended as some water is required for alcohol to work to destroy the germs.
Popular hand sanitizer brands available in the market typically have between 60% and 95% alcohol concentration. Manufacturers also add other components to add fragrance and prevent dryness of the skin.
Just Human hand sanitizer contains 70% ethyl alcohol and doesn’t have toxic substances such as phenoxyethanol or triclosan.
Sanitizer Consistency
Hand sanitizers come in liquid, gel, and foam consistencies. The consistency differs mainly due to the additional ingredients used.
While the consistency doesn’t make a difference in sanitizer’s effectiveness, you might want to consider it up to your personal preference.
Liquid sanitizer tends to be runny and leaves skin drier compared to gel sanitizer. Also, liquid ones tend to dry faster than gel sanitizers.
Unlike conventional sanitizers, Just Human hand sanitizer contains de-ionized water and moisturizing elements along with 70% alcohol to give you 24-hour protection from germs and skin dryness. Moreover, Just Human sanitizer spray dries faster compared to others.
Portability
Another factor to consider while choosing a suitable sanitizer for yourself is its portability.
Hand sanitizers are widely available in different shapes and sizes. Based on your usage, you can choose from a sachet to a bottle. Sachets typically come in 2 ML to 5 ML quantities and are very handy when you are traveling.
Just Human sanitizer comes in spill-proof pocket sizes of about 10-50 ML to large sizes up to 5 L. Small sizes are great to carry in your pocket or purse for your personal use. The large sizes are suitable to keep in your home for everyone’s use.
Price
When buying a hand sanitizer, its price is also an essential factor for you to consider. Depending on the size and the brand, the hand sanitizer price in India varies. Taking into account all the other factors, you can choose the price that best suits your pocket.
Just Human hand sanitizer prices in India typically range from as low as ₹60 for 10 ML pack and around ₹5000 for 5 L pack.
How to buy hand sanitizer online?
Considering the pandemic situation, buying hand sanitizer online is the safest option. But, too many options to choose from can leave you overwhelmed.
Here’s a few things that can make it easy for you to buy hand sanitizer online:
- You can order sanitizer from any of the shopping or grocery websites that sell personal care items.
- Just browse the site by searching for ‘hand sanitizer,’ ‘alcohol-based hand rub,’ or ‘Just Human sanitizer.’ Add other filters like price range and quantity to get selected results.
- Pick the sanitizer that fits the quantity, packaging, price, or brand you prefer.
- Don’t forget to check the alcohol concentration in the product’s description. Also, check the product reviews to find other’s experiences with the product to make a more informed choice.
- Once you’ve selected the perfect hand sanitizer, fill in other details for the purchase, and get ready to make it yours.
If you wish to buy locally, you can easily find hand sanitizer at a nearby chemist shop or grocery store.
You can also order your 24-hour protection hand sanitizer from the Just Human site and get it delivered to your doorstep within 48 to 72 hours.
Key Takeaway
Hand sanitizer is a life savior in current times. Using an alcohol-based sanitizer with 60% to 95% alcohol is crucial to protect yourself and others from illness.
There are too many options available for hand sanitizers. You should consider the option that fits the optimum alcohol amount, your usage, and price. Also, you can easily buy hand sanitizer online as well as from local shops.
Hand hygiene is one of the easiest and best ways to avoid getting sick and spreading transmission. Make sure you contribute to the fight by using hand sanitizers regularly.
