Are You Properly Applying Hand Sanitizer? Probably Not.

 Apply to hand sanitizer to hands, rub quickly on hands, 99.9 percent of germs gone, right?

Wrong. When soap and water aren’t available, nothing’s more effective than scrubbing hands clean of germs and bacteria than hand sanitizer, but proper application procedures are needed to ensure hand sanitizers can do their job and cleanse hands of all microorganisms.

And when we’re in a rush – and when aren’t we during these hectic days –  kids and adults often apply hand sanitizer frantically and way too fast. Raise your hand of you’ve ever been in such a rush you’ve tried one of these methods that are decidedly not proper ways to apply hand sanitizer:

• Squirting on hands, then doing a quick hand clap to apply.
• Pouring a little hand sanitizer on hands and letting air dry without thoroughly applying to hands.
• Pouring hand sanitizer on hands, then doing a quick three-second rub-on.

The key word for hand sanitizer to be effective is to apply it thoroughly. Friction is the force that loosens and rises away microbes.

One common error most of us make when using hand sanitizer is not applying enough. According to Berkeley Wellness, the proper amount of hand sanitizer to apply is a dime-size amount. Applying hand sanitizer properly is simple but requires attention to detail.

The proper way to apply hand sanitizer:

1. Make sure all organic matter like dirt and grease are removed from your hands.
2. Apply a dime-size amount to the palm of one hand.
3. Rub your hands together, covering all surfaces of both hands, including between your fingers and up around your fingertips and nails. Rub hands together for 30 seconds to allow your hands to completely absorb the product and the hand sanitizer to completely dry. Don’t touch food or anything until your hands are dry.

That’s it. Properly applying hand sanitizer takes less time than it takes to phone in a pizza order or get the mail. Hand sanitizers will immediately go to work, swiftly killing 99.9 percent of all microorganisms on our hands and allowing us to get on with our busy days.