Turns out hand sanitizer is actually useless especially during flu season

Turns out greifhand sanitizer is actually useless especially during flu seasonTurns out hand sanitizer is actually useless especially during flu seasonWashing my hands is a drag. It requires physical effort and accessories like towels. The trial is greater still when it comes to washing my childrens hands. And because my children are lazierthan I amand far less concerned about proper hygiene, its so much easier to pump out somehand sanitizerinto their little palms and call it a day. Unfortunately, washing your hands with soap and water is the single most effective way to prevent disease, especially duringflu season. Hand sanitizer, however, isnt all that good at sanitizing hands- especially when it has alcohol content below 60%.Many studies have found that sanitizers with an alcohol concentration between 6095% are more effective at killing germs than those with a lower alcohol concentration or non-alcohol-based hand sanitizers,according to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventi on. Although alcohol-based hand sanitizers can inactivate many types of microbes very effectively when used correctly Soap and water are more effective than hand sanitizers.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreEven if you manage to get your hands on some hospital-grade hand sanitizer, the high alcohol content isnt enough to guarantee protection during flu season. Because most people do not use hand sanitizer appropriately. Studies have shown that hand sanitizers work best when applied to the entire hand, not just the palm. And they work best in clinical settings, where the hands are basically clean but may have come in contact with dangerous pathogens. Soiled hands, commonly associatedwith kids or parenting, simply do not mix with hand sanitizer.Hands may become very greasy or soiled in community settings, such as after people handle food, play sports, work in the garden, or go camp ing or fishing, according to the CDC. When hands are heavily soiled or greasy, hand sanitizers may not work well.Lets say you manage to procure and apply 95 percent alcohol-based hand sanitizer to your otherwise clean hands. Eventhen, it might not work. Hand sanitizer is less effective than hand washing when it comes to killing specific pathogens, such asClostridium difficile, and likely cannot remove or inactivate harmful chemicals. Indeed,studies have shownthat people who exclusively use hand sanitizer, instead of soap and water, have higher levels of pesticides in their bodies.At the end of the day, hand sanitizer is a good way to protect yourself and your family from disease when youre dealing with clean hands, or unable to get to the sink. But at home, with soiled hands, soap and water is the safest bet- thrashing children notwithstanding.This article originally appeared on Fatherly.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know yo ur social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people