O alcohol in gel has become the darling when it comes to hand hygiene. Many people take this product everywhere and use it whenever they need to perform a quick hand cleaning. However, will use the alcohol in gel is really as good as washing your hands with water and soap? Next, we will give the answer to this theme and talk about how hygiene can be important to prevent diseases.
Read too:10 ways to prevent yourself from colds and flu
Alcohol in gel x soap and water
Many people wonder if alcohol gel is as good as hand washing. The answer is quite simple: both the use of alcohol gel and soap and water are important to clean our hands and even prevent some illnesses like the flu. However, the alcohol cannot simply replace soap and water, since the removal of dirt cannot be done with alcohol.
Washing your hands with soap and water is essential to remove visible dirt.
The primary function of alcohol in gel is reduce the number of microorganisms in our hands, being, therefore, an important ally in the prevention of certain diseases. However, water and soap, in addition to acting in this process, are essential to remove that visible dirt. Therefore, if the
hands are visibly dirty, you should wash your hand with water and soap and not just using alcohol.The use of alcohol gel can replace hand hygiene with soap and water when they are not dirty. |
It is noteworthy that, despite the recommendation to use alcohol to reduce microorganisms, not every type of alcohol is efficient. To reduce bacteria and virus, the alcohol concentration should be 70%. alcohol with concentration below 70% is not efficient, and when you are concentrating above 90%, can trigger irritations.
Read too: Five contact-borne diseases
Do not stop now... There's more after the advertising ;)
Attention to the use of alcohol gel
Alcohol in gel is an important ally in the fight against disease-causing microorganisms, however the consumer should be careful when buying this product. Like any other product, it is essential to be aware of the expiration date, analyze the packaging integrity and check if the label is readable, with all the necessary information about the product, such as registration, how to use and precautions.
The use of alcohol gel should be done in visibly clean hands.
It is worth noting that alcohol gel should be used to clean hands and arms, but to clean surfaces, the recommendation is to use the liquid alcohol. To clean hands with alcohol, a small amount of the product should be added (enough to cover the hands) and rubbing it until the alcohol evaporates. Hands must be dry and visibly clean.
know more: Water
The importance of always cleaning your hands
Hand hygiene is one of the main ways to prevent disease. This is because our hand is constantly in contact with viruses and bacteria, which can be on surfaces we touch and even on other people.
When we touch, for example, our mouth, eyes and nose with contaminated hands, we can get diseases. Among the diseases that we can contract due to the lack of proper hand hygiene, we can mention the diarrhea and the flu, including the dreaded H1N1.
Hand hygiene should always be done:
before eating;
after using the bathroom;
when preparing the food and after preparing it;
before applying dressings;
whenever you have contact with sick people.
be sure to read: Importance of washing your hands
By Ma. Vanessa Sardinha dos Santos
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SANTOS, Vanessa Sardinha dos. "Water with soap or alcohol gel: which is the most effective?"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/saude-na-escola/agua-com-sabao-ou-alcool-gel-qual-mais-eficaz.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
