Hand Sanitizer Use Out and About | Muse Health

Hand Sanitizer     How to     Protect     COVID-19

When you don't have soap and water available, hand sanitizer is an excellent alternative. The alcohol in the hand sanitizer kills the germs on your hands, making it useful for keeping your hands clean when you're out and about. A hand sanitizer that's at least 60% alcohol is most effective. You can buy hand sanitizer in bottles of different sizes, which means they're super convenient to keep in your car, your pocket, or your bag. You can use hand sanitizer when you're shopping or otherwise going in and out of both public and private buildings.

Hand Using Hand Sanitizer Dispenser

When Should You Use Hand Sanitizer?

There are lots of times when it makes sense to use hand sanitizer. If you don't have soap and water readily available, hand sanitizer is the best option. When you're out and about, you're far less likely to be able to wash your hands whenever you want. Many stores and other places provide hand sanitizer at the door during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it's useful to have your own too.

Here are just some of the times when you should use hand sanitizer:

  • Before and after visiting someone else at home, in the hospital, or in a nursing home
  • After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
  • When entering a store, restaurant, or another public place
  • During your commute
  • At work - including when you arrive and before you eat lunch, and when you leave (and whenever you're required to by your employer)
  • Before getting close to anyone vulnerable, including babies and young children, as well as older people
  • After going to the bathroom when there is no soap and water
  • After washing your hands - for extra protection
  • Anytime you need to clean your hands (when they're not visibly dirty) and don't have easy access to soap and water
Toddle watching Parents Hands Use Hand Sanitizer

How Do You Use Hand Sanitizer Correctly?

Using hand sanitizer at the right time is important, but you also need to make sure you're using it in the right way. If you're not using it correctly, you're unlikely to be cleaning your hands thoroughly. Just as you need to know how to wash your hands with soap and water, you also need to know how to use hand sanitizer.

First of all, you should make sure you buy an effective hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer products should be at least 60% alcohol for them to be most effective. However, there should also be water contained in the product. It doesn't need to be 90% or 95% alcohol to work properly. You should also use hand sanitizer at the right time - that is, when you don't have access to soap and water, or in addition to washing your hands with soap and water. If your hands are visibly dirty, you need to wash your hands with soap and water.

Ideally, you will take off any jewelry before using hand sanitizer. Start by taking out enough hand sanitizer to cover your hands. It might take a few tries before you figure out how much to use. Rub your hands together to spread the sanitizer everywhere, like you would if you were washing your hands with soap. Make sure you get on the fronts and backs of your hands, between your fingers, and over your fingertips, and even down toward your wrists.

One of the most important things to remember is that you need to let the hand sanitizer dry for it to be effective. Don't wipe your hands to dry them because it will just wipe off the sanitizer. It should dry in only a few seconds, even if you've used a little bit too much. Keep rubbing your hands together until they're dry.

Open Purse with Hand Sanitizer

Carry Your Own Hand Sanitizer

A lot of businesses and establishments will have hand sanitizer available for customers and visitors. But carrying your own sanitizer is useful for a few different reasons. You'll always have hand sanitizer available when you need it, whether you're in your car, taking the subway, or entering a store. You don't have to rely on anyone or anywhere else providing it for you. It's easy to fit a bottle of sanitizer into your bag too, and even your pocket, or keep it in your car. It's handy to have a few bottles of hand sanitizer in different places, so you can reach for some whenever you need it.

Hand sanitizer is perfect for helping you keep your hands clean when you're out and about. Stock up on sanitizer and keep it in a few places so you always have some to hand.