Not all hand sanitisers are created equal, so it’s important to understand what makes them effective and what to look for when purchasing.
“If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol”.
CDC, Show Me Science, When and How to use Hand Sanitiser
They work by destroying the outer layer of a virus and exposing its protein, which then denatures and inactivates the virus.
The alcohol percentage is important
More is not better. 100% alcohol doesn’t work as well as you’d assume for killing bacteria or viruses. Water has to be present for the protein denaturing process to occur. Water also slows down the alcohol evaporation, which means it spends more time on your skin killing viruses.
For maximum effectiveness, pick a hand sanitizer with 60–85% alcohol.
Most hand sanitizers are made primarily of either ethyl alcohol (ethanol) or isopropyl alcohol. Isopropyl alcohol is synthetically made so is more strong-smelling. Ethanol is more effective, less toxic and smells better.
5 things to look for before you purchase:
- Alcohol percentage: The CDC recommends 60-85% alcohol by volume
- Type of alcohol used: Ethanol is more effective than isopropyl alcohol (on its own) against viruses, is less toxic, and has less odour. There are also different grades of ethanol.
- Extra ingredients: Moisturizers like aloe and vitamin E help reduce the dry feeling of alcohol, and glycerin helps its efficacy.
- Other formats: Spray hand sanitizers are a quick and effective way to sanitize hands and large surfaces quickly and easily. Other options include gels and foaming hand sanitizers.
- Is it made in New Zealand? Is it made at a facility that was designed to produce hand sanitizer, with proper quality assurance and quality control in place? Is it sustainably produced and providing employment for Kiwis?
Want more information?
Check out our Health & Hygiene products https://www.nxp.nz/solutions/ppe or contact your NXP Account Manager.
For more useful tips on PPE and how to wear it visit our Blogs and Resources page
Call the team on 0800 800 547 or email yes@nxp.nz. We’re here from 07:30-18:00 Monday to Friday.
