Instead of using running water to clean your hands especially when there are many people involved at home, I thought that it would be cheaper to use a hand sanitizer to sterilize your hands. This would leave water to be used for other water intensive chores like laundry and greatly reduce the likelihood of water being left running when people open taps and forget to close them.
I do use the sanitizer but I don't use it at home. I use the hand soap and water at home the sanitizer is reserved for when I am away from home. Upon my assessment, I have concluded that it would be more cost effective to use the soap and water at home instead of the sanitizer.
Even though I live in an arid drought prone area where water is an extremely precious commodity - this to me - considering the savings from doing this would be minimal to say the least - is not only somewhat extreme - but very definitely false economy - especially as putting your health at risk in order to try and save money - kind of defeats the object. Particularly bearing in mind that - although high alcohol-based hand sanitizers are a great option when soap and water aren’t available - they are not in any way a substitute for washing with soap and water - for the simple reason - that hand sanitizers do not eliminate all types of bacteria or for that matter chemicals - pesticides, heavy metals etc - all of which can be harmful to health.
No, I haven't tried this before. I have, of course, seen many ads on TV about it and I have seen lots of it on the shelves in the supermarket. When I was in hospital, there was a bottle hanging at the end of my bed. All the nurses and doctors used it. I didn't. Somehow, it didn't feel clean without using water to wash my hands.
I totally agree with you, gata montes! I always have sanitiser in the house as well as anti-bac wet wipes in my handbag. I always wash my hands and use the sanitiser as well, because I don't think the sanitiser alone is enough to get rid of all the germ. I'm very passionate about water conservation, and very, very rarely forget to close the tap, and in fact think people forgetting to do so can't have serious water shortages. I'd even suggest to them to fill a bowl and wash their hands that way if that's the case.
I only use it when hot water and soap isn't available, so usually when I am traveling or on public transport. It is useful, but doesn't replace hot water and soap for a good clean. Also overuse can lead to dry hands due to the harsh chemicals. I always carry some or wet wipes with me, but at the next chance I use soap and water to wash my hands.
I usually use alcohol whenever I go to the bathroom and pee at night time. I usually pee several times during the night and I make it a habit to spray on alcohol on my hands before I go back to bed instead of frequently washing with soap and water. It's a different case during meal and snack times though. I always have to wash my hands with soap and water before and after dealing with food.
Sanitizer doesn't do much of anything and sterilising my hands isn't something I would want to do anyway. If I'm handling germy or unsanitary things, soap and water is fine. Not all germs are bad and sanitising your life is just unhealthy (unless you're compromised I suppose) and dangerous. Soap and water is all you need.