blood and faeces. The only way to be
really sure of an all-round clean finish
is to cover your hands in sanitiser and
then just keep scrubbing away until
they’re dry.
Soap and water
So that brings us back to good old
soap and water. Soap is less effective
when it comes to killing germs, but
much better at trapping them and
lifting them off the skin so they can
be washed away by running water.
(Never a good idea to wash in a sinkfull of still water.)
Check with any good restaurant or
in any hospital and you’ll see that
there are rules governing the way
people wash. You’ll see plenty of
hand sanitisers in use – but rarely in
preference to soap and water. They’re
seen as an acceptable supplement,
rather than a substitute for soap and
water.
Incidentally, anyone wondering
about the germ power of antibacterial soaps? A number of studies
have shown that there’s really very
little to choose between them and
conventional soap when it comes to
their germ-killing prowess. Indeed,
similar concerns have been raised
about the likelihood of germs
adapting to the anti-bacterial soap
and produce stronger, more resistant
bacteria.
and clean, running water. However,
if soap and clean water are not
accessible, as is common in many parts
of the world, use soap and available
water, or an alcohol-based product
containing at least 60% alcohol to
clean hands.”
So while hand sanitisers are a good
alternative, they shouldn’t be used
in preference to soap and running
water. We say, keep your hand
sanitisers to hand, but stick to your
soap for the best possible protection
against hand-borne bacteria. Perhaps
pack a couple of bars (or even mini
bars) of soap in your hand luggage
to ensure you’ve always got some
available wherever you go.
Oh, and one more thing: your
technique is actually just as (if not
more) important than what you use.
So take some time to find out how to
wash your hands effectively. And in
response, we’ll give you a big (clean)
hand. ?
Going abroad?
According to the Online Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention,
“Many diseases and conditions are
spread by not washing hands with soap
Summer 2013 | THE VOICE
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