THE MAJOR BENEFITS OF HAND SANITIZER

This article also originally appears on lifeisanepisode.com

Chances are good that even if you were not the kind of person to use hand sanitizer just a few months ago, you probably are that kind of person now. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, men and women all over the world have gained a newfound respect and need for that sometimes stinging, sometimes stinky stuff known as hand sanitizer.

Of course, the reason why hand sanitizer will sometimes sting your skin and sometimes have a very strong smell is because it is a antiseptic gel that contains at least 60% alcohol in order to kill many different kinds of bacteria that can live on your skin. There are also tons of alcohol-free options of hand sanitizer, but we’ll get to that a little later on!

Some of the most prominent voices in the fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic – such as Dr. Anthony Stephen Fauci – have advised that keeping their hands clean, which means either washing your hands diligently and using hand sanitizer regularly, is a great way to reduce your chances of contracting the highly contagious and deadly virus.

With all that being said, if you were not someone who really liked to use hand sanitizer prior to the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic, chances are good that you are pretty curious about what the major benefits of using hand sanitizer are for you and your family.

While we obviously hope that you are already washing your hands regularly with soap and warm water several times per day, as that will always be the best and most effective way to clean your hands, a bottle of hand sanitizer in your house (or especially in your car) is another important and useful weapon that you can add to your arsenal in the war against COVID-19 and other dangerous pathogens.

If you have not already made this germ fighting gel a staple on your shopping list, here are some of the major reasons and benefits why you will want to grab a bottle next time you head to your local pharmacy or grocery store.

IT KEEPS YOU CLEAN

This probably won’t come as too much of a surprise for you, but the major benefit of hand sanitizer is that it does precisely what the name suggests, it sanitizes. These products were specifically designed to kill germs and they are great at doing just that. In fact, when used properly, it is known that hand sanitizers are able to kill 99.9% of the germs on your hands at time of use.

Beyond that, did you know that the Center for Disease Control (or CDC) recommends that people was they hands any time they have been around food (either eating or preparing), animals, garbage and much more. When you find yourselves in similar situations such as these, hand sanitizer is a great backup if you are not able to wash your hands with soap and water.

When it comes to the novel coronavirus pandemic, it has been advised to clean your hands anytime you go anywhere that might result in you getting exposed to the virus.

IT IS HIGHLY PORTABLE

As you know, washing your hands with warm soapy water is the best way to read your hands bacteria that might be living on them. That being said, the last time I checked, it’s not exactly possible to bring soap and warm water everywhere you go that’s where hand sanitizer comes in perfectly. Chances are good that you have seen people with little bottles of hand sanitizer clipped to their purses, their backpacks or even their keys from their car. Major benefit here is that it is highly portable so that you can bring it with you wherever you go. It’s perfect for when you want to grab a snack baseball game, or if you’re out barbecuing in a park getting your hands a little dirty playing catch before putting the food on the grill.

In the time of the novel coronavirus pandemic, it has become very common for people to put hand sanitizer in their cars as well as in different areas around their house or office. This makes it far less likely for transmission of the virus to occur through touch.

IT IS PERFECT FOR SOCIAL EVENTS

Right now, as state economies continue to open up, people are starting to get out there more. Whether you’re going over to a friend’s house to hang out in that backyard, or want to head to a local park to have a social distancing picnic, chances are good that you’re going to be touching stuff that other people have touched. Truth is, you don’t know where they have been. That means that whenever you’re with people you’re more at risk of contracting the novel coronavirus.

As you know, this virus is highly contagious and is easily spread. To reduce the risk of spread during these social distancing social gatherings, having everyone apply hand sanitizer as they arrive is a great way to create a makeshift bubble.

GREATLY REDUCE THE RISK OF DISEASE

In the past few months, it is often felt as though stalling the spread of the virus is nearly impossible. As cases continue to pop up throughout the United States and across the entire world, it may feel inevitable but you will one day contract COVID-19. it’s a scary thought, but there are absolutely ways in which you can reduce the chances of contracting the virus. Minimizing your exposure to other people’s germs is crucial for maintaining you health. Can you take just a couple seconds needed to sanitize your hands few times throughout the day, you’re greatly reducing your chances of getting sick.

When you consider the fact that even a quick trip to your friend’s house, the gym, the grocery store or anything in between can lead to you contracting the virus, keeping your hands as clean as possible is very important. Since you are not able to take soap and water with you everywhere you go, taking hand sanitizer with you is a great back up.

YOUR HANDS ACTUALLY GET SOFTER

This benefit of hand sanitizer is far less serious then all the others (as those are mostly concerned with keeping you healthy and safe), but that doesn’t mean it should be mentioned. If you want to purchase hand sanitizers that do not contain alcohol, but contain a different kind of antiseptic angry men, they can actually improve the texture of the skin on your hands. Some of the most popular types of hand sanitizers are made with emollients that soften your skin, which in turn will leave you with softer looking and much smoother hands. You will definitely notice the difference in how moisturized your skin feels and looks after using alcohol free hand sanitizer for just a little bit of time. In fact, many people advise those who want to use hand sanitizer regularly to stay away from hand sanitizer that contains a lot of alcohol. The reason why is because that alcohol can dry out your skin leaving cracks within the surface of your skin which in turn provide an entry point for germs to enter your body. With that being said, when it comes to COVID-19, experts have advised that people should look for hand sanitizer that has been 60 and 70% alcohol to make sure that its chances of killing any dangerous bacteria are as high as possible.

BEST TYPES OF HAND SANITIZERS

If you are not sure about which brand to go with when you are shopping at your grocery store or online for some handy hand sanitizer, here are some of the best brands to consider. And remember, it is currently advised that you look for hand sanitizer that contains between 60 and 70% alcohol in order to increase your chances of killing any harmful bacteria.

1. PURELL ADVANCED HAND SANITIZER

This is an incredibly classic hand sanitizer and is one of the most popular simply because it has 70% ethyl alcohol in the formula.

2. CURITY ALCOHOL PADS

These are super handy because instead of being a gel they actually come in single pack pads. These are great for cleaning your hands and cleaning services such as the screen of your phone or your car’s steering wheel.

3. ASSURED HAND SANITIZER

This is a popular choice for people who use hand sanitizer regularly because it keeps from drying out your hands despite the fact that it contains 70% ethyl alcohol. the reason why is because it also contains vitamin E and aloe.

4. EQUATE HAND SANITIZER WITH ALOE

Similar to the previously mentioned option, this brand of hand sanitizer will keep your hands moist while also keeping them clean thanks to the vitamin E and aloe. The only thing to keep in mind, is that the bottle is rather large so it’s not something that you can really put in your purse or backpack.

Now that you understand the major benefits of hand sanitizer, all you have to do is go out and buy the brand that you think will benefit you the most.