Hand Sanitizer Doesn't Replace Soap and Water

Hand washing is one of the easiest things people can do to prevent diseases such as the flu and common cold, and hand sanitizers have gained popularity as a way to reap the benefits of hand washing, even if there’s no water around. After last month’s advisory from the Food and Drug Administration, reporting that hand sanitizers produced by Clarcon Biological Chemistry Laboratory were tainted with high levels of disease-causing bacteria, many consumers may be thinking twice about these waterless options. 

While most hand-sanitizers have not been found to be riddled with bacteria, they might not being doing the job people expect them to do either, a Purdue University professor said in a university press release.

"Waterless, antibacterial hand sanitizers are marketed as a way to 'wash your hands' when soap and water aren't available, and they are especially popular among parents of small children," associate professor Barbara Almanza said. "But research shows that they do not significantly reduce the overall amount of bacteria on the hands, and in some cases they may even increase it."

The Center for Disease Control has said that not all hand sanitizers are alike, and consumers should be careful when choosing one. Some hand sanitizers do not contain alcohol, which is a vital ingredient. The CDC recommends only using products with an alcohol base, and urges people to purchase sanitizers that are at least 60 percent alcohol.

When using hand sanitizer, remember to use around 1/2 teaspoon, cover your hands completely and rub until they are dry. Generally, hand sanitizers should only be used when soap and water are not available.

Almanza said sanitizers work by removing the outer layer of oil from hands, which will not get rid of all disease-causing bacteria. She said the reason manufacturers continue to market these products as killing 99.9 percent of germs is because they test on inanimate surfaces, not actual hands.

"The physiological complexity of human skin makes it very difficult to use for testing of this nature," Almanza says. "The most clear and consistent results were going to come from using surfaces for which the variables can be controlled, and that's just not real life. Real life is not neat and tidy."

FDA advisory information: www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm164845.htm. 

Preventing the common cold: www.livestrong.com/preventing-the-cold/. 

Preventing the flu: www.livestrong.com/preventing-the-flu/.

--By Charity Scott