With the COVID-19 pandemic in full swing, hand sanitizers have become a must-have. This makes a buying guide for hand sanitizers a treasure trove of welcome information. With a buying guide, you can know the exact type of hand sanitizer to buy for different purposes. More importantly, it will come with actionable tips about where to shop for hand sanitizers.
In this article, you will get all the information you need about buying hand sanitizers. You will also get tips on how to buy the right kind of hand sanitizers for you and your loved ones. We’ll start off with a closer look at the different types of hand sanitizers.
Types of Hand Sanitizers
Before going ahead to buy a hand sanitizer, you must understand that there are two types available. Hand sanitizers are categorized based on the presence or absence of alcohol. In line with this, we have:
Alcohol-based Hand Sanitizers
These are hand sanitizers that contain between 60% to 95% of alcohol. The alcohol content of these hand sanitizers is in the form of ethanol, propanol, and isopropanol. Alcohol-based sanitizers are effective in combating germs and viruses. In the same vein, they are also useful as disinfectants.
Alcohol-free Hand Sanitizers
These are hand sanitizers without alcohol. They consist of antimicrobial agents or benzalkonium chloride, among other ingredients. These types of hand sanitizers can destroy certain microorganisms. They also contain certain balsam, which softens the skin and has a pleasant smell.
You must know what to look out for before buying hand sanitizers, especially amid the ongoing pandemic. With Coronavirus still ravaging the USA, you must understand what health agencies say about hand sanitizers before buying one.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, recommends the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers. These alcohol-based sanitizers must contain at least 60% ethanol or 70% isopropyl alcohol. The CDC also prohibits the use of hand sanitizers that contain methanol. Methanol can cause amnesia, dizziness, headaches, and other dangerous side effects when ingested.
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers with the CDC-recommended alcohol percentage are effective in killing viruses and bacteria on your hand and external surfaces. These sanitizers act by denaturing the microbes’ protective outer membrane and dissolving their membranes.
Related Article: How To Avoid Dry Skin With Hand Sanitizer
Tips To Buy The Right Hand Sanitizers
You need to go through this buying guide for hand sanitizers before going on to buy one. Whether you are buying for personal, home, or office use, here are the considerations to make:
Buy hand sanitizers from trusted brands
There are many brands making hand sanitizers. This increase in available market options connects to the COVID-19 pandemic and the demand for hand sanitizers. However, not every brand will make recommended or quality hand sanitizers.
Hence, whether online or in person, before you buy a hand sanitizer, ensure you choose a reputable brand. The brand should be known for being trustworthy with its customers. It should also be known for its products’ efficacy and high performance.
Buy hand sanitizers with the right alcohol concentration
No buying guide for hand sanitizers is complete without this essential tip. It is of utmost importance that you check the alcohol concentration of the hand sanitizer you seek to purchase.
The World Health Organization, WHO, and the CDC recommend using hand sanitizers with alcohol concentration ranging between 60%-95%. According to these health bodies, only these sanitizers can effectively keep your hands clean and free of germs.
Water is an essential component of hand sanitizers. Therefore, hand sanitizers with a 100% alcohol concentration won’t work well for denaturing viruses or killing bacteria on your hands. Water must be present for the denaturing process to take place. Water also stops alcohol from evaporating from your hands quickly, allowing it to have a longer contact period.
Some hand sanitizers also contain additional ingredients like aloe vera, vitamin E and glycerine. These ingredients will reduce alcohol’s drying effect and enhance its efficacy.
Check the hand sanitizer’s expiry date before buying it
Ensure you check the expiry date of the product before purchasing it. An expired product is not useful for protecting you against viruses and bacteria. Hand sanitizers lose their effectiveness when their alcohol concentration reduces or dissolves to less than 60%. Thus, you will only be wasting your money by buying expired products.
Check for the information about the product
Besides checking for a hand sanitizer’s expiry date and alcohol concentration, you need to read the information at the back. This information usually contains things like the product’s ingredients and storage information. You must store hand sanitizers properly for them to be effective.
Hand sanitizers should be stored in a cool place and away from heat. By reading the information at the back, you will know more about the product you are about to purchase.
Buy hand sanitizers that fit your skin type
When you buy hand sanitizers in the USA, ensure you buy those that are mild on your skin. This is one of the reasons why you should check for the product’s ingredients. If you spot a component that you react negatively to, you know you have to avoid that hand sanitizer. The hand sanitizer you pick should be mild on your skin and not cause skin inflammations.
Thanks to the number of hand sanitizers in the market, it may be hard to keep track of those complying with the right standards. However, you can ensure you don’t fall victim to dangerous products by reading before buying. Stay away from brands that don’t have enough information about the content of their products.
Use enough of the hand sanitizer
After buying a hand sanitizer, you must ensure you’re using it properly. Typically, experts recommend using enough of the product to continue rubbing it for 20 seconds without it drying completely. If the alcohol evaporates completely from your hands in less than 15 seconds, then it means you are not using enough of it.
Related Article: COVID-19: Can Hand Sanitizers Protect Me From The Coronavirus
Frequently Asked Questions About Hand Sanitizers
Since the beginning of the pandemic, many people have continued to ask questions about hand sanitizers. Here are answers to some of the most common questions people ask about hand sanitizers.
Are hand sanitizers effective?
Yes, they are. However, you must note that the product’s effectiveness is dependent on how you use and apply it. First off, you must buy alcohol-based sanitizers with an alcohol content above 60%. These are most effective for fighting germs.
Apply the hand sanitizer by putting a few drops of it on your hand. Rub it all over your hands, especially on your fingertips and in-between your fingers. Rub the sanitizer continuously for 20 seconds until it dries off completely.
Where can I buy hand sanitizers?
You can buy hand sanitizers in shops, supermarkets, pharmacies, and malls. You can also purchase hand sanitizers online and have it delivered to your doorstep.
How much do hand sanitizers cost?
Hand sanitizers’ costs depend on several factors. These factors include the product’s manufacturer, type, and quantity. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers cost more than alcohol-free hand sanitizers. Products manufactured by more renowned companies may cost more than those from lesser-known brands.
Hand sanitizers of higher quantities cost more than those of lower volumes. It is also cheaper to buy hand sanitizers online as you may get them at discounted rates than when you buy from physical shops. That said, hand sanitizer costs start from about $10 and can be as high as $199.
Do hand sanitizers expire?
Yes, they do. Most hand sanitizers last for about three years before they expire. When they expire, they lose their effectiveness. This is why you need to check for the expiry date of a product before buying it.
Will the addition of alcohol to alcohol-free hand sanitizers make them effective?
No. The addition of alcohol to an alcohol-free hand sanitizer will not result in any changes in its effectiveness. For the best results against viruses and bacteria, use alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
Conclusion
After reading this buying guide for hand sanitizers, you should now know how to buy hand sanitizers. Therefore, you shouldn’t have any problems with buying hand sanitizers for yourself and your loved ones. Always ensure you purchase products from trusted brands and with the right alcohol content. Don’t purchase hand sanitizers with ingredients that are unsafe for your skin nor those about to expire.
If you want to buy hand sanitizers, look no further than our online stores for hand sanitizers. Here at Buy Gloves, you are guaranteed only the best products at discounted and affordable prices. We have a wide range of products you can choose from. To cap it off, all of the products in our catalog meet the standard requirements set by the WHO, CDC, and the FDA.
Stay safe and healthy. Cheers!
