Sanitizing your hands is the best way to kill germs and stay healthy. Keeping your hands clean also reduces the likelihood that you will spread germs to others. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) contends that the most effective way to clean your hands is washing with soap and warm water. When soap and water are nowhere in sight, the next best thing is to use an alcohol-based sanitizer.
Step 1
Pour a quarter-size amount of hand sanitizer into the palm of one of your hands.
Step 2
Rub your hands together, spreading the hand sanitizer over every inch of the skin on your hands and around your nails.
Step 3
Continue rubbing your hands together until the sanitizer dries. Average drying time is 10 to 15 seconds.
Tips and Warnings
- The Ohio Department of Health reports that alcohol-based hand sanitizers must contain at least 60 percent alcohol to be effective. Sanitize your hands with an alcohol-based sanitizer prior to preparing food, handling eye contact lenses or administering medical aid. Apply the hand sanitizer after touching wounds, using the toilet, performing personal hygiene tasks, handling raw food items, coughing, sneezing, blowing your nose or handling animals or animal waste.
- Alcohol-based hand sanitizers do not remove soil or foreign matter from hands. In such cases, hand washing with soap and water is necessary for proper cleaning. Do not use alcohol-based hand sanitizers while smoking or when near an open flame.
Things You'll Need
- Alcohol-based hand sanitizer
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