Hand Hygiene – Do you use Hand Sanitiser or Soap and Water? Which is more effective?

One of the things we’ve been increasingly hearing over the past few weeks is to ‘wash your hands’ as we approach the flu season and progress through the COVID-19 pandemic. We all know the importance of washing hands when it comes to preventing illnesses and reducing the spread of infections to others, and I’m sure you’ve noticed a shortage of both hand soap and hand sanitiser at the shops, but which one is more effective?

There has been a large amount of research into this topic, with the majority concluding that soap and water is more effective at removing certain kinds of germs. Although alcohol-based hand sanitisers can inactivate many types of microbes when used correctly, people may not use a large enough volume or may wipe it off before it has dried.

Other studies have shown that hand sanitisers work well in clinical settings (such as clinics and hospitals) where hands come into contact with germs but generally are not heavily soiled or greasy. This however is generally not the case within the community as people often handle food, play sports, or go about their daily lives, and in this case, soap and water is more effective.

So how do we wash our hands properly?

Wet your hands

with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap

Lather your hands

by rubbing them together with the soap. Be sure to scrub the backs of the hands, between the fingers, and under your nails

Scrub your hands

for at least 20 seconds

Rinse your hands

under clean, running water

Dry your hands

with a clean towel or air dry them

Research also suggests that if soap and water isn’t available and hand sanitiser is the only option, using one that contains at least 60% alcohol is more effective than using one with a lower concentration or no alcohol. This is because they may not work equally well for many types of germs, and merely reduce the growth of germs rather than kill them.

In summary, it is recommended to wash hands with soap and water whenever possible as this reduces the amount of all types of germs. However, if this is not a possibility, using a hand sanitiser with at least 60% alcohol can help you avoid getting ill and spreading germs to others.

Stay safe over the next few weeks, make sure you are eating well, sleeping well, and getting enough exercise to keep both your body and mind healthy.