Hand Sanitiser: Keeping Hands Clean When Water is Inaccessible

If Global Handwashing Day on 15 October taught us anything, it's that the practice of washing our hands is extremely important. The simple act of using soap and clean, running water to clean our hands thoroughly and regularly aids in removing bacteria, thereby preventing the spread of harmful diseases – ensuring that we keep ourselves, and our loved ones healthy. Most of us are fortunate enough to live in locations where all we have to do is walk over to the sink and turn on the water, put some soap in our hands, wash and rinse. But for millions of children in rural areas, it's not that easy. Currently, 19 % of the rural population in South Africa lacks access to a reliable water supply, and 33% do not have basic sanitation services. (Mission 2017: Global Water Security) To alleviate this problem, a number of different hand washing alternatives have been developed over the years, the most popular being hand sanitiser. What is hand sanitiser? Hand sanitisers generally come in liquid, foam or gel form and contain active ingredients that are formulated to kill germs on the skin. According to CleanLink, "Since sanitisers do not need to be accompanied by water, they are easy to use without needing to be located in a restroom. Studies show that hand sanitisers can also reduce the spread of disease by as much as 50%." Although hand sanitising is a good alternative to handwashing when soap and water are not present, they are not a substitute. However, for children in rural areas and in cases when a trip to the restroom just isn't feasible – hand sanitiser is a good option that will not only kill germs quickly during application but will continue to provide some protection even after the product has dried. EcoHand & Sterigel Hand Sanitiser The Specialists offers a range of hand sanitisers designed to kill microbes, such as bacteria and viruses, and is safe for use by children.

Sterigel Hand Sanitiser

• Non-sticky, non-irritating, non-greasy formula
• Perfumed
• Complete skin care formulation
• Forms a silicone barrier on the skin's surface to protect from disease
• Kills 99.99% of most disease-causing microbes

Click here to find out more about our Cleaning & Hygiene Product Range 5 Key Moments for Using Hand Sanitiser When teaching children proper hand hygiene, share these hand-washing basics with them to help them learn when and how they should wash their hands with hand sanitiser.

1. After using the bathroom
2. Before and after eating
3. After riding public transport
4. After sneezing or coughing
5. After shaking hands or giving high fives

To use: Simply apply a small amount of EcoHand or Sterigel to the palm of one hand, rub your hands together, spreading the sanitiser to all the surfaces of your hands, until they are dry.