Convenience
Because we are constantly coming and going from various commitments, it can feel almost impossible to wash your hands with soap and water as often as the Center for Disease Control recommends. The CDC website lays out these moments when it is necessary to wash your hands, but you can probably think of some other instances in addition to these.
- Before, during, and after preparing food
- Before eating food
- Before and after caring for someone who is sick
- Before and after treating a cut or wound
- After using the toilet
- After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
- After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
- After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
- After handling pet food or pet treats
- After touching garbage
It just is not practical to assume that you are going to have access to a sink every second of the day, even when you really feel like you really do need to wash your hands. Having some hand sanitizer is often the perfect solution to hold you over until you can wash your hands. Its portability helps you always be able to have it on hand. You can keep a bottle in your office, backpack, purse, computer bag, and car. It is possible to have hand sanitizer on you almost all of the time, helping you keep the germs away and feeling clean.
Traveling
We have all been there. You’re sitting at the airport in your terminal and you see something of your worst nightmare. Someone is sneezy and sniffly, coughing excessively. You pray that they aren’t seated right next to you, but even if they aren’t, you are all too aware of the very confined space you are about to be in. These are the moments where hand sanitizer becomes something of a savior. Knowing that you can remove almost all of the germs on your hands in a matter of seconds is just the peace of mind you need for a positive travel experience.
Easy to Share
While it would be really strange to consistently ask people around you to join you in the rest room for a good hand washing, it’s not that hard when you have a bottle of sanitizer on hand. It’s so easy to take dab for yourself and then offer some to the person you are with. This isn’t just good for their health, but yours as well. You have now minimized your own contact with germs by offering your hand sanitizer to them. So even though this is slightly selfishly motivated, you are still able to come off as a thoughtful person, offering something as simple as a squirt of sanitizer! Even just having a big bottle in your office, cubicle, or classroom that is accessible to others motivates them to take some, almost mindlessly.
Paying it Forward
By using and sharing hand sanitizer when you do not have access to water and soap, you are able to reduce your contact with germs that can be detrimental to your health. Not only is this good for you (especially during the dreaded flu season), but you are doing a massive favor to others who might have weakened immune systems as well. Even if you don’t develop an illness, the germs you carry might cause harm to someone else, so do yourself and the people around you a favor and keep a bottle of hand sanitizer on you. You never know when you might need it!