Not many people fully grasp the impact of the benefits of hand sanitizer and their effect on our skin. At one time, these solutions were even considered skin irritants because of the alcohol they contain. 

But, did you know that the majority of these products can get rid of germs by 99.9%? In each hand, people can carry up to 5 million bacteria if not washed properly, advises Harvard. That’s right, our hands are filled with germs and bacteria, given the number of surfaces they come into contact with on a daily basis. Hand sanitizers provide a quick and easy solution to rid your hands of germs.

While many people know what hand sanitizers are, and continue to use them regularly, very few people know the benefits of hand sanitizer beyond just killing germs. If you're wondering what the main benefits of using hand sanitizers are, keep on reading!

How Does Hand Sanitizer Work?

Before you figure out how to use hand sanitizer, you need to know how hand sanitizer work. Based on clinical reports, the alcohol in hand sanitizers destroys pathogens by breaking apart their cells and proteins from the inside. Hand sanitizer gel and other solutions with less than 30% alcohol are still capable of killing the invading pathogens effectively. That’s exactly why is hygiene and sanitation strictly implemented in the workplace.

How and When To Use Hand Sanitizer 

If there is no soap and water nearby, it is best to rely on a waterless hand sanitizer, recommends the CDC. Anything that has at least 60% alcohol can help stop the spread of germs and prevent viruses, sickness, and bacteria.

How Much Hand Sanitizer to Use

If you don’t know how much hand sanitizer to use, just apply around ½ a teaspoon of the solution on the palm of the hand and rub it across the surface evenly. Keep rubbing until the product dries completely.

Benefits of Hand Sanitizer

1. Portability

The biggest benefit of using a hand sanitizer is that they're portable. Sanitizers usually come in small bottles that are easy to carry around in your bag or even your pocket! This makes them very convenient to use.

In addition, unlike soap, you don't need water to use hand sanitizer! This means you that sanitizers allow you to clean your hands literally anywhere! You don't need to look for a source of water or a towel or tissue to dry off your hands, either. This also means that hand sanitizers are more time-efficient – requiring less time to clean your hands.

benefits of hand sanitizer

2. Cleanliness

Of course, sanitizers kill germs. But many people question how effective they are, and how clean they actually keep your hands. You can rest assured that hand sanitizers are one of the best ways to keep your hands clean.

In fact, various studies have shown that people that use hand sanitizers are less likely to get stomach infections. Studies have also shown that hand sanitizers keep children healthy, and thus reduce student absenteeism in schools.

3. Prevent Dry Skin

If dry skin is a regular struggle for you, hand sanitizers may be the answer. Many people think that hand sanitizers are skin irritants because they contain alcohol. However, the reality is that some hand sanitizers do not contain alcohol – you just have to look for them!

Hand sanitizers that are free of alcohol can give you softer and smoother skin and can get rid of that annoying dry skin feeling. 

4. Use In Crowded Areas

In crowded areas such as an office, school, or market, it's easy for germs to pass on from one person to the other. While it isn't easy to install a sink in the middle of such areas, you can easily install a hand sanitizer with a holder.

It's both easy and cheap to install sanitizers at entry and exit points of crowded areas like these. This will allow people to present in the area to periodically clean their hands while they go about their work. It also stops the spread of germs within the area and outside of it. 

5. Improves Job Performance

Frequent use of hand sanitizers means you're less likely to get sick, and thus less likely to miss work. Adequate hand hygiene can actually reduce absenteeism at work by 40%, and employees who use hand sanitizers are approximately 70% less likely to get sick.

Employers can also introduce hand sanitation programs to help improve productivity at work. The use of hand sanitizers can improve your performance at work by keeping you healthy and ensuring you work in a more efficient and productive manner.

For proper workplace sanitation, there is a simple trick as to where to keep hand sanitizer at the workplace and encourage customers and employees to practice proper hand hygiene. Since paper money is packed with dangerous pathogens like salmonella, E.coli, and other bacteria, it’s essential to keep a hand sanitizer close to transaction spots, like the check-out counter, for example. 

Other practical spots include meeting rooms, near doors, on the desk, outside the bathroom, in the lounge, and kitchen. You can also keep air purifying plants nearby for some extra clean air. 

As you can see, hand sanitizers do much more than just keeping your hands clean. They're easy to use and contribute to keeping a whole community happy and healthy!