Last Updated on March 11, 2020 by The Health Master
We live in a world where everyone is always on the go. From long commute hours to public washrooms, our hands come in direct contact with almost a zillion germs every day. Since washing hands with soap and water isn’t always possible, most of us carry an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with us. These hand sanitizers do not require water and are an excellent alternative to normal soap and water.
The right way to apply hand sanitizer for maximum impact
While most people are aware about using a hand-sanitizer, not everyone knows how to apply the same correctly. For starters, it is important to keep in mind that one should use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 to 95 per cent alcohol. If you are like most people, you squirt a blob of sanitizer on your hands, rub your hands quickly and get done with it.
Also read: Coronavirus: Make hand sanitizer at home
However, this is not the correct way of application.
If you want the hand sanitizer to do its job and get rid of 99.9 per cent of microorganisms, you need to stop applying it in a hurry. According to Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) some of the most common mistakes which most people make are:
1. Not using a large enough volume of the sanitizers.
2. Wiping it off before it has dried.
We tell you the proper way to use a hand sanitizer to fight the maximum number of germs and bacteria.
What is the proper amount of hand sanitizer that one should use
While the product depends on the size of your hands – larger your hands, the more the product is required. As a rule of thumb, one should at least quirt a dime-size amount. Moving on, it is also important to apply it thoroughly.
A step-by-step guide to applying hand sanitizer
1. Squirt a dime-sized amount on your hands.
2. Rub your hands thoroughly and make sure to cover the complete surface of both your hands, including the fingers, inside of the nails and in between the fingers.
3. Make sure to rub your hands for at least 30 seconds and do not touch anything till the time your hands are completely dry.