Sanitizer vs. Hand Washing? Which is better against corona virus?

Sanitizer vs. hand washing – what will be your choice if you want your family to be safe from viruses and bacteria? At this time, there have been different studies proving which is better to practice using hand sanitizer vs. hand washing?

Sanitizer vs. hand washing, nevertheless, can keep you away from deadly viruses and bacteria. There are different ways, so you should not be worried if you think you should avoid either hand sanitizer vs. hand washing?

Okay, so let us make it simple to avoid confusion.

Perhaps, you are aware of what hand sanitizer is and how to wash your hands properly. To put it into context, hand sanitizer is one of the most accessible to eliminate germs, viruses, and bacteria.

How to make sure you are using hand sanitizer with 70% alcohol?

Of course, you should look at the label. Find the alcohol content of a sanitizer which can kill and protect you from germs, virus, and bacteria. And I am sure that your family’s health is protected all the time.

At home, it is not an excuse to avoid using hand sanitizer. My youngest child, Emily, loves to play and explore in our garden. She always touches the plants and dirt. Well, most children love to do this.

I cannot stop her, and every time I try, she will start to cry. My dilemma when she is playing in the yard or with her toys inside the house is the germs, bacteria, or virus she can get.

So keeping her away from her toys is not an option! So I looked for some other options, and I found out about using hand sanitizer. Well, for me, hand washing is the best option each mother can have.

Using hand sanitizer vs. hand washing is a big deal for me, and I think it is the real deal for everyone. Looking into it, hand sanitizer can help protect my Emily whenever she is done playing. Just a rub of sanitizer into her hands can keep away germs, viruses, and bacteria transferred to her skin.

But safety in my family is the priority at home, especially now that coronavirus has been the new invisible enemy of everyone. So hand sanitizer vs. hand washing is a debate not only at home but rather in every establishment to observe cleanliness.

How does a hand sanitizer vs. handwashing work?

When Emily and I go outside, hand washing may seem to be challenging to do. So hand sanitizer became our salvation to eliminate viruses and germs. Hand sanitizer with alcohol works immediately and effectively when soap and water are not available for cleaning the hands. Alcohol in hand sanitizers will not make your skin dry. The hand sanitizers that I have been using contain moisturizers. And I assure you that I only use an ample amount of hand sanitizers to keep away the germs and viruses.

So to make sure that Emily’s hands are clean using hand sanitizers, I rub hand sanitizers over her hands, including nail beds. Then I gave it 15 seconds to evaporate.

Other than convenience, hand sanitizers are easy to use and consume less time when applying. In several studies, the spread of gastrointestinal and respiratory infection decreases.

But there are times when hand sanitizer is not enough to get rid of germs and viruses. Some bacteria cannot get free of using hand sanitizers. For instance, after using the toilet and changing diapers, hand washing is more important than using hand sanitizer.

There are many diseases and conditions that are spread because of not hand washing and only rely on hand sanitizers.

Benefits of Hand Washing

Without realizing, everyone, including your family, touches your face frequently. So hand sanitizer vs. hand washing, you might prefer to do hand washing.

Unwashed hands can be a suitable medium for germs to transfer from your dirty hands to your foods. No one likes to be sick under certain conditions like diarrhea, respiratory infections, skin, and eye infections. Usually, handrails, doorknobs, and even children’s toys are carriers of germs.

How to do handwashing properly?

Before the coronavirus pandemic, hand washing is not a big deal. But here we are, hand washing is better than any hand sanitizer. At this challenging time, hand sanitizer is only our second option to get rid of viruses. Why?

Well, the virus cannot get rid of hand sanitizer completely. So now, it is essential to know how to wash your hands properly.

According to my daughter’s pediatrician, teaching Emily how to wash her hands reduces various diseases in incredible percentages.

When it comes to diarrhea, washing hands can reduce the risk of getting it about 40%. Otherwise, you can increase diarrhea by up to 50%.

When you have colds or other respiratory illnesses, well, at least you should check if you are hand washing properly by 21%.

For children, you can expect about a 60% decrease in gastrointestinal illness. Believe it or not, children are the most vulnerable when it comes to improper hand washing.

Step-by-step Hand Washing

Now, as you can see that you need proper hand washing, you may need to do the following. I taught this to everyone in my family, and since personal hygiene is essential, you should know this as well.

Step 1: Wet your both hands together with clean and running water. You can use warm or cold water but never use too hot for your children’s hands.

Step 2: Make sure you use soap and lather up not less than 30 seconds. Antibacterial soap is more advisable than other fragrant soap. Back of your hands and under your nails are places where germs and viruses used to hang out.

Step 3: If you got steps 1 & 2, you could already rinse and dry it with a clean towel. You can also air-dry your hands if you are using a public toilet.

Sharing My Thoughts

Hand sanitizer vs. hand washing can be different in many ways. I have experienced using hand sanitizer, but it is somehow unsafe if you depend on it too often. So to be safer, you should also consider washing your hands, especially before eating and cooking. Unwashed hands can spread germs and viruses with the foods you are cooking and consuming. Another important thing you should consider washing your hands rather than using hand sanitizer is after using the bathroom and cleaning the house. It will be safer for your health and family member’s welfare if you are practicing proper handwashing. If you have pets at home, it is not 100% secure to touch them then not washing your hands.

Practically speaking, you can still use hand sanitizers just in case you want a temporary remedy and an easy way to clean dirty hands. But most importantly, hand washing is way better than hand sanitizer.