Hand Sanitizer vs. Soap and Water: Which is Better?
Hand Sanitizer vs. Soap and Water: Which Is Better?
It’s back-to-school season and you’ve taught your child the basics of proper hand hygiene to keep themselves and others healthy (see my blog Hand Hygiene 101: Teaching Your Kids to Wash Their Hands to learn more). Your child now prefers to use hand sanitizer-only instead of handwashing with soap and water and asks you to place a bottle of “hand sani” on the bathroom sink. You’re proud of their initiative but you can’t help but wonder: Is hand sanitizer alone good enough to ward off the “bad” germs and keep our children healthy? While hand sanitizer is a great option in certain circumstances, the answer is no, as handwashing with soap and water is the preferred method of keeping your hands free from germs that cause sickness or infection.
Hand Sanitizer vs. Soap and Water—How Do They Work?
In order to decide which is more effective at ridding hands of unwanted germs, hand sanitizer or soap and water, we must first understand how each method works. Hand sanitizers containing at least 60% alcohol work by inactivating, or “killing,” germs on contact. Handwashing with soap and water, however, does not kill germs. It works by physically removing the germs from the skin with soap and rinsing them down the drain with water.
Which Is More Effective: Hand Sanitizer or Soap and Water?
While hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol may successfully reduce the number of germs on your hands, it does not, however, kill ALL germs. Some germs, such as norovirus, Cryptospiridium, and Clostridioides difficile (all of which affect the gastrointestinal system, or cause tummy troubles) are not killed by hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer is also not effective at inactivating harmful chemicals (like pesticides) or heavy metals (like lead) from hands. Conversely, washing your hands with soap and water works by removing all types of germs from hands, including norovirus, Cryptospiridium, and Clostridioides difficile as well as different chemicals and heavy metals.
Additionally, hand sanitizer may not be as effective at cleaning hands that are visibly soiled or greasy. Handwashing with soap and water, however, is an effective way of cleaning heavily soiled or greasy hands.
The Bottom Line
Handwashing with soap and water is the preferred way to clean your hands and effectively rid them of harmful germs, chemicals, or heavy metals. It is best to use soap and water whenever possible. However, hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol is the next-best option whenever soap and water are not available. A helpful tip: Keep hand sanitizer handy for those times when quick access to soap and clean water may be difficult. This way, our children will always have options available to practice good hand hygiene that will ultimately help to keep themselves and others healthy.
