Do You Know Why HOCl is the Best Hand Sanitizer?

You can design the best solution, but if it’s not used as directed, then you won’t get the desired results. Organizations place soap dispensers in public washrooms so people can wash their hands. The intention is that this will help to limit the spread of harmful germs. According to the CDC – to effectively kill the germs that can lead to disease – the hand cleaning process using soap requires a minimum of 20 seconds to work properly – about the time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday”. The results of a study done a few years ago indicate that only 5 percent of people follow this guideline. Worse yet, the average length people washed their hands in this study was only 6 seconds. In light of this, one could conclude that only 5% of the people in this study are getting the desired results using this hand cleaning process. 

What are the implications of that study on hand sanitizers placed at the office door? It is safe to assume that most people use a hand sanitizer for about the same length of time. Therefore – in order to be effective – the hand sanitizer used must kill germs in 6 seconds or less. 

In a test comparing HOCl against other sanitizers – including those containing isopropanol: a common ingredient in alcohol-based hand rubs – HOCl began killing most germs immediately. The HOCl has been shown to be at least as effective as isopropanol. Unlike alcohol-based hand rubs – which are recommended by many public health agencies around the globe – HOCl does not dry out or irritate the skin. Research has validated HOCl as a non-toxic, non-irritating, and eco-friendly disinfectant and sanitizer. Ideas for this blog were gathered from here and here.