FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) About Hand Sanitisers

11 November 2021

Since we launched Coler Medical PPE we have been asked numerous questions about hand sanitisers. So, we decided to create this FAQ page to trap our answers to some of the most common FAQs about hand sanitisers. If having read the article you have other questions, contact us as we will be looking to add extra answers in the future.

1)    Can hand sanitisers be used to help reduce my risk of catching COVID-19?

Absolutely yes! Hand sanitiser formulations do vary but any effective brand will kill COVID-19 upon contact. The killing power is not limited to COVID-19 though, as hand sanitisers will also kill influenza, other coronaviruses as well as various other viruses, bacteria, and pathogens. It is essential that the sanitiser you use kills upon contact, so look for this quality when you are looking to buy a product. Please read our detailed article on this topic by clicking this link.

2)    Is hand sanitiser better to use than soap and water?

This is amongst the most popular FAQs about hand sanitisers we receive. We would not necessarily say hand sanitiser is “better” as soap and water are also chemicals designed to kill viruses and bacteria with added water, which is similar to hand sanitisers. We think a major benefit of hand sanitisers is their portability, use them martini-style – anytime, anyplace, anywhere!

Infact the NHS and the World Health Organization recommends using sanitiser wherever you do not have access to soap and water. Do not forget also that hand sanitiser can be used for disinfecting other parts of the body as well as for other purposes such as cleaning hard surfaces.

Handwashing Buzzwords 2

3)    Can hand sanitiser also be used for skin moisturising?

It is always important to remember the primary purpose of sanitisers is to remove bacteria, viruses, and other germs. It is best then to expect hand sanitisers to be neutral to the skin rather than to add moisture.

Some alcohol-based hand sanitisers can artificially dry skin out due to ingredients such as Benzophenone-3, Propylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, etc. This is why it is always important to research the sanitiser you use and understand what you are buying. Here at Coler Medical PPE, our MIST-IFY instant sanitiser uses HOCI (Hypochlorous Acid) as its active ingredient, this does not dry the skin out as it is a 100% natural product created by the human body.

4)    Is it safe to use hand sanitiser on cut or broken skin?

Again, we would not recommend using alcohol-based sanitisers on open wounds. Soap and water are perfect, as also are natural hand sanitisers such as our MIST-IFY Hypochlorous Acid range. Wherever you can we would recommend using gloves or bandages (on other parts of the body) when exposing an area of the body with broken skin.

Wound Injury 1

5)    When and how often should you use hand sanitiser?

The basic answer is “as often as you need to.” As we said earlier hand sanitisers are a great alternative to soap and water. Therefore, the same rules apply to both, we would recommend disinfecting hands (with soap and water or hand sanitiser) when the following occurs:

  • When going to the toilet or changing a babies nappy
  • Before you eat or handle food
  • Before you drink or handle drinks
  • After illness-related events such as coughing, sneezing, and/or blowing your nose
  • After handshaking and fist pumping
  • Before and after you handle raw foods such as vegetables, eggs, fish, and meat
  • Before and after you treat an injury such as a wound or a cut
  • After handling pets and other animals, this includes giving food and also after cleaning litter
  • After touching public items such as cash machines, doors, handrails, public phones, etc. – any items, which could have become infected by another person’s touch
  • There will be other instances too, it all boils down to practising common sense

Coler Medical PPE demystifying the sanitiser industry!

Do you have any additional hand sanitiser FAQs? If you do, Coler Medical PPE strongly recommends you read our library of blog articles and also our glossary of terms articles 1) and 2). If you still need answers then why not contact us? We always reply to enquiries ASAP, so feel free to call us on +44 (0) 1827 794 294 or email us at info@colermedical-ppe.co.uk.

Image Credits: Epic Top 10 and PX Here

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