|
|
Post by Kim on Dec 12, 2003 14:35:42 GMT -5
I would really recommend that everyone pack a small bottle of hand sanitizer - you know, the stuff that you just put on like hand cream, not water involved.
Don't know if everyone has these brands but we have One Step, Purel etc.
Make sure to use it often - you are exposed to so much crap while travelling and your immune system can be off due to jet lag, lack of sleep etc.
Most of the times germs are transfered by you touching something then rubbing your eyes, touching your face etc. When you are travelling and using trains, holding on to hand rails etc. this can happen easily. Plus, there can be different strains of bugs in different places that you might not be immune to. We used Purel constantly all through our trip to Asia and didn't even pick up the slightest stomach bug.
Who wants to be sick after you've paid all that cash to get there? ;D
|
|
|
|
Post by jennifer on Dec 12, 2003 20:48:06 GMT -5
Yup, i'm with you on this one, I had mine!
I bought it from Avon, it smells like citrus fruit and although it's not too strong, it keeps a good aroma going for a few hours, so it can help out as a bit of perfumy smell too!
xoxo
Jen
|
|
snorkelman
Senior Travel Member
Travel Guru
Posts: 220
|
Post by snorkelman on Dec 16, 2003 16:29:29 GMT -5
In the USA there is a big-ass store called Wal-Mart and they have some generic version of what y'all are talking about.
Yes I agree 100% that hand sanitizer is worth the weight and space. The best use is when you are traveling by train. This is especially true when you wash your hands in the train bathroom. Here is something worth considering. If you wear contact lenses and you need to clean/readjust/insert the lens and you are on a dirty train. Okay the train has bathrooms and usually the bathrooms have crappy powder soap. However, the bathrooms always have water that you cannot drink. This is important because it means that the water sits in a tank for a long period of time and bacteria get in and that is why it is not safe for drinking. Well, if you wash your hands with this water (even with soap) you may still have bacteria on your hands. If your hand then touch contact lenses you can infect yourself.
Obviously you should always have clean hands before you touch food. Since you will be touching food with your hands a lot when you are backpacking, use the hand sanitizer.
Best to avoid the whole issue by using hand sanitizer (which has an alcohol base) and then squirt saline all over your hands to reduce the moisturizer that is contained in the hand sanitizer.
|
|
|
|
Post by Kat on Jan 28, 2004 21:25:43 GMT -5
:-/I dunno... I went to a food safety course and the health inspector there told us that its a scam and that the hand sanitizers dont do any good...  |
|
|
|
Post by Kim on Jan 28, 2004 21:34:03 GMT -5
Who knows I guess.. better safe than sorry, I say!
Don't get me wrong though, they don't take the place of soap and water! You need to use them in conjuction with soap and water.
Kim
|
|
|
|
Post by cnlneenan2 on Jan 30, 2004 9:55:04 GMT -5
I've heard similar stories from "anti-antibacterial stuff" people too...the one I heard was that your hands are "supposed" to have natural oils and germs on them that act as protection. Apparently, stuff like Purel kills this "bio-shield" leaving your hands more susceptible to picking up germs again.
In my opinion, I think the whole thing is a bit of a joke or a "sour grapes" thing by people who just don't like using the stuff (and surprisingly there are lots).
Like Kim said, it doesn't take the place of soap and water (in being the primary cleaning method) but when soap and water are two items you cannot get but still don't want grimy hands, then Purel (and others) would be the way to go.
I plan I taking one of the tiny bottles so it fits in my pocket and then I'll bring a regular sized one for refills (for two people) in my toiletry bag. The stuff, I have to admit, is pretty damn awesome.
|
|
kena
Senior Travel Member
Posts: 64
|
Post by kena on Jan 30, 2004 23:53:05 GMT -5
I know that hospitals around here have big jars of the stuff in corridors, and the personnel is supposed to use it in between each patient.
They also wash their hands if they get soiled, but they couldn't wash their hands every two minutes, so the antibacterial stuff sanitizes their hands in between washes.
|
|
|
|
Post by Cat on Feb 6, 2004 6:46:42 GMT -5
Being a former nurse, I know that the antibacterial stuuf does not replace water and soap, and can only be used instead of water and soap before regular patient contact.
Before and after nursing activities, like helping with the personal hygienof a patient of giving injections, they ALWAYS need to wash their hands and use the desinfectant.
Even with these measures, infections can't always be prevented. But then I am talking about sick people whose immune-system usually is compromised because of their condition.
|
|
tryshah
Full Travel Member
Posts: 47
|
Post by tryshah on Feb 6, 2004 22:32:11 GMT -5
Yes, there are "good" germs all over your body. And yes, hand sanitizer kills all of them. However, I for one feel 100x cleaner after using some sanitizer. I would just try to keep my hands away from my mouth and eyes!  |
|
|
|
Post by sejvirgo on Feb 28, 2004 17:09:54 GMT -5
i am a nurse, and at the hospital i work at many of the nurses basically only use a foam sanitizer as a replacement for handwashing. it is less drying, fast and is as effective as handwashing. i'm sure it is similar to the gel stuff.
|
|
Rich
Full Travel Member
Posts: 38
|
Post by Rich on Mar 10, 2004 19:48:31 GMT -5
As a pharmacist in a hospital, I can support the use of alcohol-based gel hand sanitizers (Purel, Wal-Mart special.....whatever's cheapest). Using these gels will be as effective at killing bacteria as washing your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. They are usually more effective than soap and water because most people don't stand at the sink for 20 seconds! The gels are effective for killing bacteria, but they won't necessarily clear all of the dirt though.......important for contact lens wearers. One final point.....ensure you wait a few minutes before messing about with contacts or you're bound to have some irritated eyes!  |
|
|
|
Post by Kim on Mar 10, 2004 20:05:06 GMT -5
Thanks for your expertise on that FirstTimer and sejvirgo!
It worked for us in Asia - didn't even get slightly sick while we were there so I'm definately a supporter!
I work in a big office building (200 on my floor alone) so with air conditioning and that many co-workers, I use it alot at work as well.
Kim
|
|
|
|
Post by jennifer on Mar 14, 2004 14:45:46 GMT -5
No kidding, germs are everywhere! Public rest rooms are just the worst, in trains in Europe, you get some nasty ones, if you can at least keep your hands from germs, it's a great thing!
|
|
