# Does hand sanitizer do anything of real worth? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 18, 2013, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-hand-sanitizer-do-anything-of-real-worth/658683 "2013-05-18T15:48:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2013, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-hand-sanitizer-do-anything-of-real-worth/658683/1 "2013-05-18T15:48:36Z")
I’m talking about the ubiquitous alcohol based ones. As far as I can tell they kill bacteria exceptionally well, great but aren’t most of the infections people are worried about(colds,flu) viruses anyway? Are they basically just a substitute for handwashing where it is impractical? And as far as I can tell even handwashing isn’t so great at killing viruses. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2013, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-hand-sanitizer-do-anything-of-real-worth/658683/2 "2013-05-18T16:31:54Z")
It’s good for setting your hands on fire, which kills lots of germs. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2013, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-hand-sanitizer-do-anything-of-real-worth/658683/3 "2013-05-18T16:48:16Z")
Hand cleanliness in general is I believe vastly overrated. It seems like a lot of people start to push hand washing big time when flu and cold is going around heavy and both of those are airborne diseases and hand washing is no preventative. Probably the biggest differences made societally from hand washing has been from the importance it has played in medicine. Before doctors and medical workers knew about washing their hands all medical treatment could and often did lead to catching something that might kill you. Also, infants that are easily susceptible to catching oral-fecal spread disease benefit a lot when all of the adults that handle them wash their hands. For regular people I think to protect from most oral-fecal spread diseases you need to make sure you wash your hands when leaving the bathroom but the common practice of “going to wash your hands” before every meal may serve no real purpose unless you had gone to the bathroom without washing your hands immediately prior. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2013, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-hand-sanitizer-do-anything-of-real-worth/658683/4 "2013-05-18T16:53:42Z")
It kind of depends on what you were doing with your hands before the meal, **Martin**. But I agree, it’s overrated. ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2013, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-hand-sanitizer-do-anything-of-real-worth/658683/5 "2013-05-18T18:13:21Z")
In my experience, alcoholics who have been drinking hand sanitizer, don’t smell as bad as run of the mill alcoholics. ---
**Author:** ![Uncertain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Uncertain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncertain)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2013, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-hand-sanitizer-do-anything-of-real-worth/658683/6 "2013-05-18T20:22:12Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > Hand cleanliness in general is I believe vastly overrated. It seems like a lot of people start to push hand washing big time when flu and cold is going around heavy and both of those are airborne diseases and hand washing is no preventative. The Department of Health and Human Services [disgrees](http://www.flu.gov/prevention-vaccination/prevention/index.html). It seems that both hand-washing and hand sanitizer _do_ help prevent the spread of flu. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-hand-sanitizer-do-anything-of-real-worth/658683/7 "2013-05-18T20:46:50Z")
From [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_sanitizer#Effectiveness), “Alcohol rubs kill many different kinds of bacteria, including antibiotic resistant bacteria and TB bacteria. 90% Alcohol Rubs also have high viricidal activity against many different kinds of viruses (but are higly flammable), including enveloped viruses such as the flu virus, the common cold virus, and HIV, though is notably ineffective against the rabies virus. Alcohol rub sanitizers are not very effective against Norovirus (winter vomiting virus) unless they are combined with benzalkonium chloride in a hand sanitizer.” (I’m aware that some people don’t consider Wikipedia a reliable source, but the bit I quoted has cites from reputable sources. Wikipedia can be useful as a summary.) ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2013, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-hand-sanitizer-do-anything-of-real-worth/658683/8 "2013-05-18T22:16:00Z")
> [@Uncertain](#): > > The Department of Health and Human Services [disgrees](http://www.flu.gov/prevention-vaccination/prevention/index.html). It seems that both hand-washing and hand sanitizer _do_ help prevent the spread of flu. That’s always been the wisdom but the last few flu seasons I’ve seen articles like [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=16303002) that suggest conventional understanding of how the flu is spread is not all that accurate. Yes, when someone sneezes or coughs, droplets are released into the air that will contain the virus and can infect exposed persons and these droplets settle on various surfaces. Touching those surfaces can and does expose you to the virus, and thus hand washing and surface sanitizing can be important and effective in preventing infection through that route. But it seems, at least in the last few years, I’ve seen several studies suggest not very much of flu spread is associated with that sort of contact, it looks like there are very small droplets that can basically persist in the air for days or even hours just floating around waiting to be breathed in–and hand washing is no protection against that. It appears those masks everyone in Asia was wearing during the SARS scare actually do work and if you didn’t mind the fashion aspects of it would be by far the most effective way to prevent getting influenza. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2013, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-hand-sanitizer-do-anything-of-real-worth/658683/9 "2013-05-18T22:43:38Z")
Cancer patients need to use it, I believe. (My uncle kept some with him at all times) ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2013, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-hand-sanitizer-do-anything-of-real-worth/658683/10 "2013-05-18T23:11:37Z")
> [@grude](#): > > Are they basically just a substitute for handwashing where it is impractical? Basically. I also find it removes most shoe polish as well, but that’s probably not as much a concern for the average person as for me. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2013, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-hand-sanitizer-do-anything-of-real-worth/658683/11 "2013-05-18T23:45:44Z")
My take on it is that we are constantly exposed to bacterias and viruses. If your immune system is strong nothing bad happens. When there is a breach in the immune system, i,e stress, bad nutrition, etc, then you become a victim. Wash your hands, use sanitizer if you wish, but the best offensive is a strong immune system. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2013, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-hand-sanitizer-do-anything-of-real-worth/658683/12 "2013-05-18T23:48:24Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Basically. > > I also find it removes most shoe polish as well, but that’s probably not as much a concern for the average person as for me. As a person who does leather work for a hobby, I’ve noticed that it works as well as the much more expensive dye removers on human skin. I haven’t tried it on leather yet, does that work? Its also great if your car doors freeze shut. Squirting a line around the seams and then gently pulling and pushing the door a couple of times lets me open the door without ripping the rubber. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2013, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-hand-sanitizer-do-anything-of-real-worth/658683/13 "2013-05-19T01:50:31Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > As a person who does leather work for a hobby, I’ve noticed that it works as well as the much more expensive dye removers on human skin. I haven’t tried it on leather yet, does that work? I don’t know, I haven’t tried it yet on leather, either. ---
**Author:** ![wheresmymind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@wheresmymind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheresmymind)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2013, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-hand-sanitizer-do-anything-of-real-worth/658683/14 "2013-05-19T02:42:23Z")
There was an article in the New Yorker about this recently (full article is behind a pay wall, but if you have a Kindle you should totally subscribe to TNY, best $5 a month I spend). Short answer, yes they do. As has already been mentioned alcohol is effective against virtually all bacteria and many if not most of the common viruses that make us sick, and it’s use doesn’t promote resistant bacteria like antibiotic-laced antimicrobial soap. You can argue about the relative merits of hand-washing in the general public, but one of the places hand sanitizers like Purell are actually making significant, measurable differences are in hospitals. Even though they obviously knew that unwashed hands are a common way for disease to spread in hospitals and strict hand-washing protocols were in place, compliance with hand-washing rules was hardly perfect among hospital workers for several reasons: Thorough washing with soap and water requires considerable time, making it a PITA to wash your hands every time you leave a room; continually washing your hands can dry out your skin, causing discomfort and making you less likely to want to wash your hands; after washing their hands 100+ times a day, every day doctors and nurses tend to develop a quick, cursory handwashing technique that isn’t very effective; after you wash your hands you often have to touch the faucet knob and/or paper towel dispenser after, which could easily re-contaminate your freshly cleaned hands. Hand sanitizers are quicker, easier, more effective, and aren’t as likely to dry out your skin. In addition, you can place a sanitizer dispenser virtually anywhere, whereas you need a sink to wash your hands. All of these factors increase compliance among hospital workers and the results are measurable. ---
**Author:** ![Amblydoper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@Amblydoper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amblydoper)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2013, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-hand-sanitizer-do-anything-of-real-worth/658683/15 "2013-05-19T05:22:39Z")
This is from 2003, but the FDA basically says no, its not really all that effective for the things we commonly use it for. [http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/RetailFoodProtection/IndustryandRegulatoryAssistanceandTrainingResources/ucm135577.htm](http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/RetailFoodProtection/IndustryandRegulatoryAssistanceandTrainingResources/ucm135577.htm)