Disinfect hands before or after washing? - Hand hygiene explained simply
In the context of the current pandemic, many people are asking themselves how hand disinfection relates to hand washing :
- In what order should you wash and disinfect your hands?
- To wash your hands properly - should you use warm or cold water?
- Why should the skin not be moist before hand disinfection?
- Washing or disinfecting your hands - which is better for your skin?
- Is hand washing more effective than disinfectant?
Below we would like to provide some clarity and give you the information you and your family need to get through this time in good health.
Hands are the most common carriers of pathogens. Hand hygiene is therefore essential to stay healthy and not put others at risk.
While regular hand disinfection was largely uncommon in everyday life before the Covid-19 pandemic, disinfectant is now available almost everywhere.
But how effective is hand sanitizing really in the fight against bacteria and pathogens? And is washing your hands just as effective and perhaps even healthier than disinfecting them? We took a closer look at the effect of hand washing and hand disinfection and compared them.
Dermatologists: Disinfecting hands is less harmful to the skin
This finding may come as a surprise to many. However, most dermatologists agree that disinfecting hands is less harmful to the skin than frequent washing. Washing with conventional soap can irritate and dry out the skin.
Washing your hands several times a day with normal soap not only removes dirt and bacteria, but also oils that are important for our skin.
People with sensitive skin run the risk of developing eczema and permanently drying out their skin as a result of frequent washing.
If you still prefer to wash your hands instead of using disinfectant, use our refreshing hand soap - a wonderfully fragrant treat for your skin.
Wash or disinfect your hands - which is better for your skin?
Disinfecting hands can be a better alternative to washing, especially if you have sensitive skin. Although disinfectant also leaves an unpleasant, dry feeling on the skin from time to time, the skin is less affected.
This result has been confirmed in many dermatological studies. People who work in the healthcare sector have been using disinfectants regularly for a long time without their skin health being affected.
To minimize the strain on your skin when disinfecting your hands, we have developed a hand sanitizer that not only protects against pathogens thanks to its glycerins, but also cares for the skin at the same time. Try our hand sanitizer with fragrance.
Is hand washing more effective than disinfectant?
Both hand washing and disinfecting help to protect against pathogens. However, when washing hands, they must be washed thoroughly with soap for at least 30 seconds in order to remove pathogens completely.
Not every disinfectant available on the market is equally effective. Although most disinfectants provide reliable protection against pathogens, if you want to be on the safe side, you should seek professional advice when buying a disinfectant.
High-quality hand sanitizers that are pleasant to use and always to hand are . In addition to their disinfectant effect, they also contain care substances.
If you still prefer to wash with water, instead of using an aggressive soap from the supermarket, you should use a soap that does not attack the acid mantle despite frequent washing and instead cares for the skin.
Washing with water alone is neither sufficient nor advisable.
Disinfecting hands before or after washing - in which order?
If you wash and disinfect your hands, you should always do this in the correct order. This means
- Wash your hands first
- Disinfect the clean and dry hands afterwards
For proper hand hygiene, hands should first be washed and then dried and disinfected. The aim is to remove coarse dirt first and then disinfect.
The correct sequence plays an important role in ensuring the best possible hand hygiene and optimal protection against infection.
Also: Hands must always be completely dry before disinfecting. This is better for the skin. It is also more difficult to completely remove pathogens from damp or even wet hands with disinfectant.
So, disinfect hands before or after washing?
Very simple: always wash before disinfecting.
Wash your hands properly - warm or cold water?
Many people assume that warm or even hot water is better at removing dirt and bacteria. Medical studies, however, do not confirm this general view.
Cold water removes pathogens just as reliably as warm water, provided that soap is used for washing.
Washing without soap does not sufficiently remove germs and pathogens. This applies to washing with cold as well as warm or hot water.
Protect your hands when washing - avoid temperature extremes
To protect the skin when washing, it is always advisable to avoid extremes. Lukewarm water is not only pleasant, but is also less aggressive to the skin.
In hot weather, the water may also be cooler. The same applies to swollen fingers and people who tend to retain water in their hands.
Cool water can provide relief without impairing the cleansing effect.
As a general rule: The duration of hand washing is more important than the temperature of the water.
To clean your hands reliably, it is not enough to hold your hand under the water for just a few seconds. Instead, the hands must be washedthoroughly with soap for around 30 seconds from the fingertips to the back of the hand .
Only then are hands reliably clean and free of pathogens.
Washing your hands properly step by step - how to do it right
Washing your hands properly is not complicated. To make sure nothing goes wrong, we have summarized step by step how to do it properly, taking into account the official advice from research by the Robert Koch Institute and the German Medical Journal .
- Remove jewelry and roll back sleeves
- Moisten hands briefly with water
- Apply soap to the hands
- Now lather your hands thoroughly and from all sides with soap. Don't forget the back of your hands and fingertips.
- Apply soap also to the spaces between the fingers . To apply, use the other hand and spread your fingers.
- Soap both hands in a rotating motion for about 30 seconds.
- Now rinse thoroughly with water. Set the temperature to the desired heat level, but avoid extremes.
- Dry with a clean and fresh towel. Avoid unclean towels that have not been washed for a long time or are used by several people. If in doubt, it is better to use paper towels.
- If desired,apply a mild hand cream after cleansing.
- As soon as the cream has been absorbed and the hands are dry, the washing process can be continued by disinfecting with a hand sanitizer. hand disinfection can be completed.
Care after washing your hands
Frequent hand washing can strip the skin of moisture. But don't worry - to quench your hands' thirst, we have developed Aromatic Body & Hand Lotion to provide the skin with the nutrients it needs. Nourishing oils help to make hands soft and supple and its fragrance is delightful. Try it out.
Further hand hygiene tips - avoid dirt and bacteria in advance
Germs, fungi, viruses and bacteria can be found almost everywhere. Many are harmless to us. But by no means all of them. To prevent dangerous germs from multiplying undisturbed in the first place, it is also important to observe hygiene rules in everyday life, apart from washing your hands.
The environment should be as clean and germ-free as possible. Germs are particularly likely to accumulate in the kitchen and bathroom.
Hygiene at home
The bathroom and kitchen should be cleaned thoroughly at least once a week and then disinfected. Outside the home, it is not so easy to adhere to hygiene rules, as it also depends on the behavior of others.
Hygiene outside the home
Nevertheless, contact with harmful germs can also be avoided outside the home. Do not share drinks or food with other people and keep away from objects that many other people also come into contact with.
If you want to be on the safe side, you can apply a dab of hand sanitizer after touching objects such as door handles and CO, as well as after shaking hands.
In closed rooms, a window should be left open whenever possible.
One thing is certain: if you observe hygiene measures in advance and wash and disinfect your hands regularly, you need not fear hand-borne pathogens.
Disinfect hands before or after washing - now you know more. Share this information with your loved ones to help contain the pandemic and stay healthy together.
Which do you prefer: Hand washing or disinfecting? Share your opinion with us in the comments.
About Feuerstein Essentials Switzerland:
We want to help people increase their well-being, promote their inner peace, gain new strength, connect with themselves and walk their path with satisfaction and self-confidence - wherever it takes them.
Balanced people find their way, they find meaning. Our products support them with their subtle design and soothing fragrances - they are small suggestions to listen to yourself again.
Subscribe to this blog's RSS feed using http://feuerstein-essentials-switzerland-gmbh.myshopify.com/blogs/feuerstein-essentials-magazin.atom