Since the year 2000, Purell has marketed a line of hand sanitizing products for consumers to use when traditional soap-and-water hand washing is inconvenient or impossible. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, even recommends the use of such hand sanitizers. However, due to the high alcohol content in Purell products, you should be aware of how to use them safely.
Use
To get the full benefits of Purell hand sanitizers, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products, Purell's manufacturer, recommends that you use enough of the product to thoroughly wet your hands. Rub your hands together until your hands are dry and no liquid product remains. Purell instant hand sanitizer will kill 99.9 percent of common illness-causing germs.
Limitations
If your hands are visibly dirty, soap and water hand washing is preferable to Purell use. The manufacturer cautions that Purell is not guaranteed to prevent the spread of H1N1, or swine flu, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. You may use Purell as part of an overall good hygiene program to help prevent these illnesses, but Purell alone will not kill H1N1 or MRSA.
Warning
The University of Iowa Extension Department warns against leaving Purell where children can reach it. Purell hand sanitizer contains 65 percent ethyl alcohol, or ethanol. This amount is more by volume than most hard liquors, which are only 50 percent to 60 percent ethanol. This can cause eye irritation if your child touches his eyes with wet Purell on his hands. The high ethanol content also makes Purell ingestion a concern. If your child simply licks his hands after you apply Purell, he will likely not ingest enough of the product to cause harm. However, if your child swallows Purell straight from the bottle, he may ingest enough to cause ethanol poisoning.
Symptoms
Symptoms of ethanol poisoning from ingesting Purell include vomiting, dizziness and irritability. Severe ethanol poisoning may cause respiratory arrest, coma or even death. Because you may not be able to determine how much Purell your child has consumed, you should always contact Poison Control or your child's pediatrician immediately if you suspect an overdose.
Prevention
To prevent ethanol poisoning from Purell, you can follow a few simple safety rules. Always keep Purell out of the reach of children. Never store Purell with food items as this may lead your child to believe that the hand sanitizer is meant for consumption as well. Use small containers of Purell whenever possible so that your child cannot ingest a large amount if she gets the bottle. Supervise your child's use of Purell and make sure she does not touch her mouth or eyes until the product is completely dry on her hands.
Member Comments