Life saving soaps and sanitisers.

HEALTH & WELLNESS COVID

SOAPS AND SANITISERS

Compiled by Kerry-Ann Scrase

The humble bar of soap and its more modern counterpart, the hand sanitiser have been thrust into the spotlight as the global coronavirus pandemic continues to affect our daily lives. However, have you considered exactly how and why these items work, which is better and when it is better to wash or sanitise.

Our hands are crawling with germs including viruses and bacteria and are not meant to be sterile objects. In fact, having some bacteria on the skin is perfectly natural, and this ‘resident flora’, can actually be helpful.

However, regardless of the 'good bacteria', handwashing is vital for the prevention and spread of diseases including the coronavirus. Traditionally hand hygiene involves washing with soap and water, however hand sanitisers have also become popular particularly during the current global COVID-19 pandemic.

But just because your hands are clean does not mean they are germ free. Cleaning refers to the removal of germs, dirt and impurities. It does not necessarily kill germs but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and therefore the risk of spreading infection. To clean one simply uses water and soap or other detergents.

Disinfecting refers to using chemicals to kill germs on surfaces. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces, but by killing germs on a surface after cleaning, it can further lower the risks of infection spreading. Disinfecting requires the use of antimicrobial agents such as alcohol (at least 70%), soaps and detergents.

HANDWASHING VS HAND SANITISING

There are important differences between washing hands with soap and water and using hand sanitiser. Soap and water work to remove all types of germs from hands, while sanitiser acts by killing certain germs on the skin. Although alcohol-based hand sanitisers can quickly reduce the number of germs in many situations, soap and water are more effective at removing certain kinds of germs like norovirus, Cryptosporidium, and Clostridioides difficile, as well as harmful chemicals.

However, for both handwashing and sanitising to be effective, they need to be done properly. A quick rub of soap and swish under water is not really enough. Research shows that washing hands with soap and water for 15 seconds (about the time it takes to sing one chorus of "Happy Birthday to You") reduces bacterial counts by about 90%. When another 15 seconds is added, bacterial counts drop by close to 99.9%. It is also recommended that you use cool or lukewarm water to increase the chance of washing a little longer. Hot water makes it uncomfortable so washing time is shortened and is also more damaging to skin.

Soap and water doesn't kill germs; they work by mechanically removing them from your hands. Running water itself does a pretty good job of germ removal, but soap increases the overall effectiveness by pulling unwanted material off the skin and into the water.

It is also important to dry your hands - wet hands are more likely to spread germs than dry ones. Dry hands for about 20 seconds if using paper or cloth towels and 30–45 seconds under an air dryer.

Although alcohol-based hand sanitisers can inactivate many types of microbes very effectively when used correctly, many people do not use a large enough or may wipe it off before it has dried. Hand sanitisers are also not as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy. When using hand sanitiser, one should apply a fairly generous amount of the product to the palm of one hand and rub the product all over the surfaces of your hands until hands are dry.

The concentration of alcohol in the sanitiser determines how effective it will be in stopping the spread of germs and viruses. Sanitisers with an alcohol concentration between 70 –95% are more effective at killing germs than those with a lower alcohol concentration or non-alcohol-based hand sanitisers. Products with less than 70-95% alcohol may not work equally well for many types of germs; and also merely reduce the growth of germs rather than kill them outright.

IS HAND SANITISER BAD FOR YOU OR TOXIC?

There has also been some concern regarding the safety of sanitisers particularly when it comes to young children. Whilst ingestion of the alcohol (propanol and isopropanol) used in hand sanitisers may be harmful, these ingredients are considered safe for use as an antiseptic and generally have no toxic effect on the skin, although repeated use may cause dryness or mild irritation. Neither propanol and isopropanol are absorbed by the skin to any significant degree.

HOW DOES HAND SANITISER WORK?

The key ingredient in most hand sanitisers is alcohol. Essentially alcohols are organic molecules made of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. Ethanol is the chemical in alcoholic drinks and is the chemical most people are thinking of when they say alcohol. Propanol and isopropanol (isopropyl alcohol) are two other alcohols that are common in disinfectants because, just like ethanol, they're highly soluble in water.

SOAP AND WATER

Before, during and afterpreparing food. Before eating food. Before and after caring for someone who is sick with vomiting and diarrhea. Before and after treating a cut or wound. Afterusing the toilet. Afterchanging diapers, or cleaning up a child who has used the bathroom. After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste. Afterhandling pet food or pet treats. After touching garbage. If your hands are visibly dirty or greasy.

Photos Cr edit: Fr eepik

ALCOHOL-BASED SANITISER

Before, and aftervisiting a friend or loved one in hospital or a nursing home, unless the person is sick Clostridioides difficile (if so, use soap and water to wash hands). If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser that contains at least 70% alcohol, and wash with soap and water as soon as you can.

DO NOT use hand sanitiser if your hands are dirty or greasy - example, after fishing, playing outdoors, gardening or camping. If a handwashing station is available, wash your hands with soap and water instead.

After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing, you should clean your hands by immediately washing your hands with soap or using alcohol-based hand sanitiser to avoid spreading germs.

Alcohols destroy disease-causing agents, or pathogens, by breaking apart proteins, splitting cells into pieces and disrupting the cell's metabolism.

Solutions with as little as 30% alcohol have some pathogen-killing ability, and the effectiveness increases with increasing alcohol concentration. Studies have shown that alcohol kills a broader variety of bacteria and viruses when the concentration exceeds 70%, and it works faster as the concentration increases. But the effectiveness of alcohol seems to top out at about a 90-95% concentration.

According to some research another benefit of alcohol is that the bacteria it kills don't develop a resistance to it, so alcohol doesn't lose effectiveness with continued use.

Sources: https://www.health.harvard.edu/ https://www.livescience.com/ https://www.cdc.gov/

SOAP AND WATER

WET your hands with clean running water. Turn off the tap, and apply soap. LATHER your hands by rubbing them with soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, wrists and under your nails. SCRUB/WASH your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum or sing the “Happy Birthday”song twice. RINSE your hands under clean running water. DRY your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

ALCOHOL-BASED SANITISER

Use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser that contains at least 70% alcohol. Supervise young children when they use hand sanitiser to prevent swallowing alcohol, especially in schools and childcare facilities.

PUT enough sanitiser on your hands to cover all surfaces. RUB your hands together until they feel dry (this should take 20 seconds).

DO NOT rinse or wipe your hand sanitiser before it’s dry; it may nor work well against germs.

Photo Cr edit: Unspalsh