How Do Hand Sanitizers Work?
Hand sanitizers are usually made of the active ingredient that we know as alcohol. The hand sanitizer products on the market generally contain anywhere from 60 to 90 percent alcohol. Hand sanitizers containing an amount lower than 60 percent have been proven to be ineffective. When applied to an area, the alcohol actively damages and interrupts the coating of any bacteria particles that are present. This damaged coating often works to neutralize the bacterium that comes in contact with the alcohol. This means that the alcohol only actively affects bacteria on contact and will not work on areas in which it doesn't touch directly.
How To Make It Work Effectively
While hand sanitizer works well on contact during the process of putting it on your hands, it does not continue neutralizing any bacteria when touching surfaces later. The hand sanitizer works in killing bacteria but loses its effectiveness immediately after contact. In other words, if the user wants to continuously kill bacteria using hand sanitizer, they must constantly put it on. However, doing so could irritate and dry out the skin from excessive exposure to alcohol.
How They Work Differently From Soap?
Hand sanitizer works differently than the average practice of hand washing. When a person washes their hands using soap and water, they are lifting and removing those bacteria particles from the skin. Hand sanitizer works by neutralizing those particles, not removing them. Those bacteria particles will remain on the skin, however, they will lose their ability to cause infection. Using hand sanitizer after washing a majority of the bacteria off of your hands using soap can allow hand sanitizer to work much more effectively.
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