Saswati Sarkar
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Written By: Saswati Sarkar | Updated : June 26, 2020 9:29 AM IST
The importance of maintaining proper hand hygiene to keep infections at bay is well-known. The COVID-19 pandemic has only increased their significance. Apart from social distancing and wearing face masks, keeping your hands clean and sanitized is considered to be the most crucial weapon against the novel coronavirus. This is because the deadly pathogen can sneak into your system through your nose, eyes and mouth via the hands if they are contaminated. The germs may latch on to your hands if you touch an infected surface. A soap and water rinse is the best to keep them clean. However, when you don't have access to them, hand sanitizer is your go-to option. In the common parlance, sanitizers and disinfectants are used as synonyms. However, they are different products with different purposes.
Cleaning your hands or a surface wipes away dirt and impurities without really killing germs or pathogens. Sanitizing, on the other hand, reduces the pathogen load of objects or surfaces by killing or removing germs up to a certain extent. Disinfectants are stronger chemical agents that kill more germs. Going by the definition of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), sanitizers are products capable of killing 99.9 per cent germs. Disinfectants, again, are defined as stronger chemical agents that can kill 99.999% of germs that lurk on hard, non-porous surfaces or objects. Products like bleach can act as sanitizers and disinfectants both when the concentration is different.
With the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc on us, we have become extremely conscious about protective measures like social distancing, wearing masks and cleaning our hands. However, panic and fear, coupled with misconceptions about the novel coronavirus make us go wrong, when it comes to hygiene and cleanliness, crucial factors behind COVID-19 protection. Here, we guide you on the right times to clean, sanitize and disinfect.
A rinse with clean water (without soap) is good enough for your fruits and vegetables. You don't need to use disinfectants or sanitizers for them. Make sure that you wash fresh produce just before having them, not in advance. Storing them after cleaning with water makes it congenial for germs to thrive. You should wash your hands with soap and water before cleaning your fruits and vegetables.
You need to sanitize your hands only when you have no access to soap and water. This is because, triclosan, an antibiotic compound used in sanitizers, can lead to antibiotic resistance and may even kill the healthy ones. Doctors recommend alcohol-based hand products for killing germs. Rub your hands for almost 20-30 seconds or until your hands become dry. A sanitizer may also take 60 seconds to kill the germs. While it comes to surfaces, you can use a sanitizer on those that are not contaminated by dangerous bacteria. Your cooking utensils, kitchen tops, where you prepare your food, and your kids' toys are good option for sanitizing.
It's best to use disinfectants to clean surfaces that are highly likely to be contaminated through bodily fluids, blood, and the likes. At home, you need to disinfect your toilets and sinks. They need powerful agents which can kill the germs.
