Everyone has had one of those days. It’s late fall, and you’re stuck at home wrapped in every blanket you own, consuming bowl after bowl of soup, and regretting each and every handshake you’ve given over the past week. Yes, you have the flu.
With cold and flu season here, it’s important to take the necessary steps to make sure you and your building are prepared – including putting in place effective touch-point cleaning, handwashing, and sanitizing procedures.
We’ve put this guide to hand sanitizing together so you can better understand one of the key weapons in your germ-fighting arsenal:
What Are the Benefits of Using Hand Sanitizer?
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers help to deter the spread of germs and illness-causing bacteria, particularly in busy environments like schools and offices:
- Stop the Spread of Germs: According to studies, 1 in 5 people don’t regularly wash their hands. Of those who do, 70% don’t use soap. Providing hand sanitizer in key areas (including bathrooms and kitchens) makes it more likely that people will use it to kill harmful bacteria.
- Reduce Waste: As an extra precaution, many people will use paper towels to open doors when leaving bathrooms or kitchens. Placing hand sanitizers near exits makes it easy for people to defend themselves from germs without needing to create additional mess.
Do you know the tips and tricks for effective handwashing? Check out this infographic to brush up on your knowledge!
How Is Hand Sanitizer Most Effectively Used?
It’s important you use hand sanitizer properly to ensure it does the job it’s meant to do – get rid of germs before they are able to spread:
- Don’t Use Hand Sanitizer if Your Hands are Dirty: Hand sanitizers are not meant to clean your hands. They’re meant to disinfect Residue like oil or dirt will prevent hand sanitizers from penetrating down to your skin.
- Use the Right Amount: When it comes to hand sanitizer, less doesn’t mean more. You need to apply enough to thoroughly coat every part of your hands. Don’t forget about the back of them or your fingers!
- Rub It In Until Your Hands Are Dry: This way you can be sure that it’s come into contact with all the most important surfaces.
When combined with other preventative measures (like proper handwashing and thorough touch-point cleaning), using hand sanitizer will help to keep you (and everyone in your building!) protected against the flu and other illnesses.
Sunshine Building Maintenance uses only the most advanced, effective, and safe germicidal and cleaning products (including Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide and microfiber cloths) to tackle touch points and combat the spread of germs. Contact us today to learn more about our services!
More on touch-point cleaning from Sunshine: