Does hand sanitizer rid more germs than soap? Is extended use worse for your skin? What is the best hand cleaning method to provide in a bathroom?
Posted Jan 6, 2012, 11:42 PM UTC
What is the best hand cleaning method to provide in a bathroom?
As far as I know I'm the only panelist with experience working in the soap industry so I guess I'll take this part of your question.
For the most part, soap is soap is soap. Antibacterial soap is absolutely pointless as the antibiotics contribute essentially nothing to the cleaning part of what soap does, which is to remove the oil from your skin. That oil is where any bacteria or dirt that are hanging out on your skin are also hanging out, and by removing the oil you remove the bacteria. Antibacterials are pointless because your goal isn't to kill the bacteria, its to get them off your hand.
Hand sanitizer won't remove dirt from your hands.
Soap and water is always the best option, especially if your hands are visibly soiled. Plus, alcohol cleaners only kill bacteria, it doesn't remove it from your hands. Extended use can cause dry skin and cracking but there aren't a lot of data showing much worse things than that.
In a bathroom always always always use soap and hot water. If there are paper towels have them ready (or prime the dispenser) beforehand. When finished dry your hands, turn off the faucet with the paper towels, then use the towels (or a non-hand body part) to open the door.
I spent a summer working with an organism called Clostridium difficile that is able to form spores and causes deadly hospital infections. Organisms like this provide evidence to the declaration that the best way to clean your hands is with good ol' soap and water. Typical hand sanitizers kill the organisms with a high concentration of ethanol but spore-forming organisms are not killed by this and the ethanol simply eliminates their competition. In fact these organisms are often found on the handles of public hand sanitizers. The soap and water method does not kill these organisms either but it has the added benefit of a flowing stream of water that will brush the organisms off of your hand. With respect to effect on skin soaps are usually better as ethanol is a volatile liquid that will often dry out your hands while soaps are oils than can moisturize your hands (depends on brand and such). If soap and water is not available, hand sanitizers are better than nothing but, in hospitals, doctors will always tell you to wash with soap and water as it is normally more effective. This is a very important question I wish more people would ask as it can and will stop the spread of potentially fatal infections.
+1, alcohols will not kill C. diff. You must use soap to get the bacteria off. It is extremely contagious, especially in the hospital setting. Anyone in the hospital who is sick, I encourage your to tell your doctors, medical students, residents, nurses, etc. to wash their hands if they plan to touch you.