Hand Sanitizer / Handrub / Hand Antiseptic

Questions & Answers for Hand Sanitizer / Handrub / Hand Antiseptic

Why it is important to use hand sanitizers?

Hand sanitizers have now become an important part of our life. They help to kill harmful microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, other pathogens, etc., and stop the spread of infections particularly in crowded environments like offices, schools, malls, etc. Hand sanitizers are used to promote good hygiene and health.

What are the popular hand sanitizer brands available in India?

Some of the popular hand sanitizer brands available in India are as follows:

• Savlon
• Sterillium
• Dettol
• Lifebuoy
• Godrej Protekt
• Multani
• DCM Shriram
• Corvil
• Trust
• Purell
• Himalaya

Is it right to use hand sanitizer before having food?

Though hand sanitizers are not effective against certain kinds of bacteria and viruses, they are recommended for cleaning hands before having food. They can reduce 99.99 % of germs from your hands. 

 

What composition is recommended by WHO (World Health Organization) for hand sanitizer production?

WHO (World Health Organization) has recommended two types of formulation for hand sanitizers. They are:

• Formulation 1: This formulation consists of 80% ethanol with 96% purity along with 98% glycerol (some even use Hydrogen Peroxide and Aloe Vera.
• Formulation 2: This consists of various types of alcohol known as isopropyl alcohol (purity of 99.8%) but with less intensity of 75% along with glycerol and hydrogen peroxide.

How would you differentiate hand sanitizers and hand disinfectants?

HAND SANITIZERS	HAND DISINFECTANTS
Remain active for 30-40 minutes on hand after application (ethanol-based)	Remain active for more than 2 hours after application (alcohol-based)
Reduce the number of microorganisms from the hand but do not kill them completely and provide 99.9% germ protection	Provides 100% germ protection by killing wide varieties of germs breathing on the surface

 

Which one is the better option- hand sanitizer or soap & water?

We can wash our hands thoroughly with soap and water. Hand sanitizers do not kill many varieties of bacteria and viruses. So they are not a good choice when they are compared with soap and water.  But, hand sanitizer is the better option for cleaning hands when we cannot access water and soap easily. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are widely recognized for killing 99.99% of germs.