# How long does chlorhexidine gluconate 4 percent  kill germs?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-chlorhexidine-gluconate-4-percent-kill-germs/662850>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 7, 2013, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-chlorhexidine-gluconate-4-percent-kill-germs/662850 "2013-07-07T03:29:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![matt357](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@matt357](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt357)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-chlorhexidine-gluconate-4-percent-kill-germs/662850/1 "2013-07-07T03:29:20Z")

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I know if you rinse off chlorhexidine gluconate 4 percent it still kills germs for 6 hours, but how long does it kill germs if you don’t rinse it off and just leave it on.

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**Author:** ![matt357](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@matt357](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt357)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-chlorhexidine-gluconate-4-percent-kill-germs/662850/2 "2013-07-07T05:42:46Z")

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anyone know?

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**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-chlorhexidine-gluconate-4-percent-kill-germs/662850/3 "2013-07-07T14:59:25Z")

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even if you don’t rinse it off your normal salivary flow rinses it off over time so probably about the same time depending on how much saliva you produce.

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**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-chlorhexidine-gluconate-4-percent-kill-germs/662850/4 "2013-07-07T16:31:09Z")

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I may be wrong, but I think the OP is talking about washing their hands with something like Hibiclens, not some sort of mouthwash.

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**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-chlorhexidine-gluconate-4-percent-kill-germs/662850/5 "2013-07-07T20:23:04Z")

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> [@bump](#):
>
> I may be wrong, but I think the OP is talking about washing their hands with something like Hibiclens, not some sort of mouthwash.

Sorry, as a dentist I just automaticly thought Peridex.

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**Author:** ![matt357](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@matt357](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt357)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2013, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-chlorhexidine-gluconate-4-percent-kill-germs/662850/6 "2013-07-08T00:10:01Z")

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> [@bump](#):
>
> I may be wrong, but I think the OP is talking about washing their hands with something like Hibiclens, not some sort of mouthwash.

Yes, this is what I’m talking about Hibiclens