Alcohol has been used as a surface disinfectant for decades. It is very effective at killing germs on hard surfaces quickly and easily. Doctors have used it to sterilise their instruments and clean the patient’s skin before operations. Alcohol works by altering the structure of (denaturing) the proteins that make up the germ’s cell wall. The germ can’t survive this process and dies. And, unlike with antibiotics, germs are unable to build up a resistance to alcohol so it always remains effective against the majority of germs.

Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitisers have been around for quite a while but the early products were very harsh on the skin and caused dryness and cracking. Modern hand sanitisers generally contain skin emollients or conditioners that protect the skin from the drying effects of the alcohol with repeated use.

As well as being a very effective germ killer, alcohol is the ideal ingredient in instant hand sanitisers as it evaporates quickly. The germs are killed in the 15 seconds or so that it takes for the sanitising gel or liquid to evaporate. There is no need to find a sink or towels whenever you need to sanitise your hands either.

The alcohol concentration in the sanitiser will give an indication of its effectiveness. A 65% to 80% ethanol (w/w) content is considered to be the most effective at killing the widest range of germs. Concentrations outside this range may be less effective against some germs. Concentrations above 95% are less effective because water is required for the denaturing process and they are generally more irritating and drying on the skin too.

Alcohol is not as effective against a small group of germs that form spores, or hard outer shells, to protect themselves. These types of germs may only be killed with harsh chemicals such as sodium hypochlorite.

Alcohol does not replace soap and water. Sanitisers are not appropriate to use on dirty hands as they do not dissolve dirt or other materials. If your hands are visibly soiled you should wash with soap and water and dry your hands before using a sanitiser to kill the germs.

Most sanitisers use ethanol for the alcohol content. The alcohol is generally denatured, or altered in its composition, to make it unsuitable for consumption but still maintain its disinfection properties. Some use methanol as the denaturant which is known to cause blindness if swallowed in quantity.
When selecting a hand sanitiser, look for a product that makes hand sanitising easy. The packaging and presentation should meet your needs for easy access. The formulation should contain no added antiseptics or toxic denaturants so that you can use it safely when handling or preparing food.
Alcohol is flammable. Be careful and always handle and store sanitisers sensibly. Do not use near open flames and do not smoke when using a sanitiser. Always keep sanitisers out of reach of children.

Good hand hygiene is something that is now so simple there is no excuse for not doing it. Keep yourself healthy by practicing good hand hygiene all the time.