Alcohol-Based Handrubs: Easy as 1, 2, 3 (2024)

FAQs

Alcohol-Based Handrubs: Easy as 1, 2, 3? ›

It is as easy as 1, 2, 3... When decontaminating hands with an alcohol-based handrub use an amount of alcohol-based handrub sufficient to cover all surfaces of hands. Apply handrub to palm of one hand. Rub hands together covering all surfaces of hands and fingers.

Cover all surfaces of hands. Rub your hands and fingers together until they are dry. This should take around 20 seconds.

Alcohol solutions containing 60-80% alcohol are most effective. It has been well established that alcohols effectively reduce the bacterial counts on hands better than soap and water.

Alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) is most effective when used correctly. The concentration should be 70-90%, the volume of the solution should cover all surfaces for your hands and wrists, and the solution should be rubbed into your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds and until your hands are dry.

Some people have advocated that you should wash your hands after every four or five uses of alcohol-based hand rub. But, there is no reason to do this. If your hands feel 'grubby' or are visibly dirty, you should wash them with soap and water. When should I wash with soap and water?

A 3 ml applied volume is sufficient for medium size hands to achieve full coverage, however, this volume requires more than the instructed 20–30 s to be thoroughly applied.

Use an alcohol-based handrub when your hands are not visibly soiled. Wash your hands with soap and water when your hands are visibly soiled.

Apply enough alcohol-based hand rub to make about the size of a quarter onto your hands, enough when you rub your hands together to cover all areas of your hands, including under your nails (1-2 pumps).

The three-step simplified technique consisted of first covering all surfaces of the hands, second performing rotational rubbing of fingertips in the palm of the other hand and third rotational rubbing of both thumbs. Fig. 1. Three-step hand hygiene technique.

But alcohol is also known to have a drying effect on your skin. When you're applying hand sanitizer to your hands multiple times each day, the product is taking moisture out of your skin. This can result in skin that's dry, flaky, and sensitive to the touch.

Is 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol the same as rubbing alcohol? ›

Rubbing alcohol is a diluted form of isopropyl alcohol. Sometimes, it also contains other ingredients, such as wintergreen essential oil. While the concentration of isopropyl alcohol is 100%, the concentration of many brands of rubbing alcohol is 70%.

Applying hand sanitizer may be easier, but even the ones with sufficient alcohol content cannot remove all types of bacteria and viruses. Soap and water are far more effective at removing such common illness-causing germs as cryptosporidium, norovirus and Clostridium difficile.

To produce final concentrations of isopropyl alcohol 75% v/v, glycerol 1.45% v/v, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) 0.125% v/v: Only pharmacopoeial quality reagents should be used (e.g. The International Pharmacopoeia) and not technical grade products.

Unfortunately, rubbing alcohol can be very drying to skin so don't use on any dry areas. Also, applying it after shaving or to open acne areas can cause a burning sensation.

There is concern because alcohol-based handrubs are known to be less effective on soiled hands generally and, specifically, when there is C. difficile infection. This is because of the handrubs' inability to kill the C.

Rub the back of the hands up to the wrist with alcohol-based handrub, rubbing palm against palm with a rotating movement. Rub the back of the left hand, including the wrist, moving the right palm back and forth and vice-versa. Rub palm against palm back and forth with fingers interlinked.

The requirements can be met only if the volume is doubled (6 mL) and exposure is extended to 60 seconds (4). But sufficient efficacy has been achieved by using modified WHO formulations with an increased alcohol concentration of 80% wt/wt ethanol or 75% wt/wt isopropanol at 3 mL for 30 seconds (4).

CDC recommends the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers as the primary method for hand hygiene in most healthcare situations. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers effectively reduce the number of germs that may be on the hands of healthcare workers.