The covid19 pandemic has triggered some new habits among people over previous months. It requires people to wear masks, keep social distance, wash hands more often with soap and running water or frequently sanitize, avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth, among other prevention measures. Since it can be challenging to practice handwashing even when travelling, alcohol-based sanitizers are the saviour when it comes to keeping our hands bacteria-free. 

When WHO recommended that people could use alcohol-based sanitizers to minimize the risks of catching the covid19 bacteria, many hand-sanitizing manufacturers sprung up with the hope of satisfying the demand, which has lead to many sub-standard sanitizers in the market. Do you know the ingredients in the hand sanitizer you are using are the recommended ones? That is a question you should ask yourself first before you use any hand sanitizer. That said, here is what you should check before you buy a hand sanitizer online.

Alcohol content

The alcohol content is the leading formulation of a hand sanitizer to protect against bacteria and microbes. An effective hand sanitizer has more than 70% alcohol content. Below that is termed as ineffective and will not help you in any way. Some hand sanitizers in the market have even shown to have less than 30% alcohol content-such sanitizers have no tested data to show the level of their effectiveness.

The reason why WHO emphasizes more than 70% alcohol-based sanitizers is because they are most effective at killing not only the coronavirus but a wide range of viruses. On the other hand, too much alcohol, such as 100%, is nowhere near effective as 70%. That is because water is also required to make the sanitizer effective.

Ingredients

When buying a hand sanitizer, always check the ingredients in the product. Some have been known to dry out the skin with regular use, so checking the components is essential. Go for hand sanitizers with ingredients such as aloe vera, vitamin E or glycerin, which keep your hands from drying out by moisturizing them.

The company manufacturing the product

The company that has manufactured the product is equally important. Ensure it is a known and reputable company. Avoid hand sanitizers from behind the street companies that only started manufacturing sanitizers because they still wanted to be in business during the pandemic. Such a company may not be after protecting your health, but after money, which is not right. Therefore, before you buy any hand sanitizer, check the brand and google it to check if it is a reputable company. It may be safe to stick with the widely known and recommended brands, especially during this pandemic season.

Product packaging

Product packaging is very crucial, especially if you have kids. Due to hand sanitizers’ widespread manufacturing, some companies use packages resembling beverage products, which is very dangerous for kids who may take it unknowingly. So, ensure the packaging is child-friendly before you buy the hand sanitizer. Also, since we focus on creating an eco-friendly environment, it would be best if the packaging can be recycled to reduce the impact on the environment.

The final thoughts

Even as we practice hand sanitizing during this covid19 pandemic, that should not be a substitute for handwashing. If possible, ensure you still maintain frequent hand washing with soap and running water. Hand sanitizers work best when used alongside regular hand washing.

Elton Gerard