Benefits of Alcohol Free over Alcohol Based Sanitisers

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Benefits of Alcohol Free over Alcohol Based Sanitisers

With hand sanitisers becoming a necessity amid the global Coronavirus pandemic, we believe that there’s still a lot of misunderstanding about what makes an effective hand sanitising solution. Due to World Health Organization guidelines the majority of people incorrectly believe that using a high alcohol concentration is the only effective way to deal with Coronavirus, but this isn’t necessarily the case! In this blog; we explore the negative effects of alcohol-based sanitisers and why going alcohol-free can actually be better!

 

The Concerns around using Alcohol in Hand Sanitiser

One of the main issues with using high concentrations of alcohol in hand sanitiser is that alcohol is harmful to the skin. By using alcohol on our hands regularly we are stripping away the natural oils from our skin, this very often leads to dryness, irritation, and even skin cracking and dermatitis. This is an issue that plagues healthcare workers and people who must frequently sanitise their hands in the workplace, causing them to prefer alcohol-free solutions that don't dry out their skin.

Hand sanitisers with alcohol also cause issues for environments where alcohol is banned or not used for religious reasons such as mosques, madrassas and prisons. Alcohol-free sanitisers are often preferred by the military and emergency services for these same reasons.

Another issue with alcohol is that it can also be extremely unsafe if misused, especially in the home setting. The suggested volume of alcohol in a hand sanitiser (as directed by the World Health Organization) is 75%-90% alcohol which, if accidentally ingested, can lead to symptoms from irritation and vomiting to comas and seizures in some cases for children and adults alike.

 One final note is on flammability. Hand sanitisers with alcohol in are extremely flammable, this is a health and safety nightmare for business, retail and hospitality venues, and placing dispensers on the walls gives everyone easy access to accelerants. Beyond that, in the case of potential fires, alcohol sanitiser would help the fire to spread - making them extremely dangerous both in the home and in the workplace.

 

The Pros of an Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitiser

Alcohol-free sanitisers help to reduce sickness because their active ingredients are effective against viruses, bacteria and fungus with just a 30-second rinse and dry.

Choosing an alcohol-free hand sanitiser doesn’t mean compromising on effectiveness. By using other active ingredients such as Benzalkonium Chloride, and at a much smaller concentration than alcohol sanitisers require, your hands are not only quickly sanitised, but you’ll benefit from protection once your hands are dry as the sanitiser doesn't evaporate.

As well as added protection against germs and microbes, alcohol-free hand sanitisers are also kinder to skin, and generally safer to use by all the family. The lack of alcohol means no irritation, dryness or skin cracking, which helps you to uphold frequent hand washing without worrying about your hands becoming dry or sore.

Last of all, by not using alcohol, these sanitisers are also more cost-effective because they can be used in a foam form. This means that you’ll benefit from up to 3,000 additional applications compared to their counterparts.

To conclude; whether you need hand sanitiser for your home, business, or on the go, it’s important to think carefully about what you’re putting on your skin. Next time you’re looking for sanitiser, be sure to consider going alcohol-free for long-lasting protection, hand health and cost savings!

 

Serenity Hygiene supplies both alcohol and alcohol-free hand sanitiser solutions with independent lab results available to confirm their effectiveness against an ever increasing number of threats. We specialise and believe in our alcohol-free products over alcohol for all the reasons mentioned above. If you'd like to know more please don't hesitate to get in touch!