Ok to Purell instead of washing hands after going to the bathroom?

[crashtestdummy]

Sanitizer is alcohol based. It's supposed to kill 99.99% or whatever % the legal disclaimer says on the back of germs, as in attacking bacteria by specific means. Triclosan from antibacterial soap/sanitizers attacks enzyme production sites of the bacteria.

Soap is something else. It's mean to pick up what is on your hands and it goes down the drain, not necessarily killing them in the process.

Actually, soap will work much like the alcohol in the sanitizer. Both work by solublizing the lipids in cell membranes, destroying both bacteria and human cells (you don't care about the human cells because your outer skin layers are already dead). Soap is actually somewhat better at this than ethanol. (Triton X, a surfactant, is also the positive control in cell lysis experiments.)

As someone who works on antimicrobials for a living, I never understood the purpose of putting triclosan in dish soap. The soap does a much better job of killing (triclosan is generally bacteriostatic, rather than bacteriacidal, at concentrations used). It's just silly marketing.

 

[dank69]

Actually, soap will work much like the alcohol in the sanitizer. Both work by solublizing the lipids in cell membranes, destroying both bacteria and human cells (you don't care about the human cells because your outer skin layers are already dead). Soap is actually somewhat better at this than ethanol. (Triton X, a surfactant, is also the positive control in cell lysis experiments.)

As someone who works on antimicrobials for a living, I never understood the purpose of putting triclosan in dish soap. The soap does a much better job of killing (triclosan is generally bacteriostatic, rather than bacteriacidal, at concentrations used). It's just silly marketing.

It keeps people safe from the icky.

 

[Farmer]

That's why I wipe my ass with toilet paper instead of my hands. You should try it some time.

Shit particles, smartass.

 

[GlacierFreeze]

Shit particles, smartass.

Toilet paper particles block shit particles.

 

[disappoint]

Toilet paper particles block shit particles.

lol fail and why we have outbreaks of e. coli in lettuce, spinach, pistachio nuts and various other places it wouldnt have gotten to without idiots that don't wash their hands.

 

[Texashiker]

Isn't the whole point of Purell and the like to be able to wash your hands without needing a sink and traditional soap?

No, hand sanitizer is no replacement for soap and water.

Hand sanitizer is not very effective on solids. Meaning, if you have poop on your hand, the hand sanitizer may not kill Hepatitis A or E. Coli.

There are lots of articles on the CDC website about hand sanitizer and hand soap. Wash your hands with soap and water to remove solids, dry, then apply hand sanitizer.

 

[SAWYER]

People who do not wash their hands after wiping their ass are disgusting creatures, there are no excuses, no rationalizing it..it just is that way.

 

[moshquerade]

This seems to be a common thing at my job. People go to the bathroom, skip the sink and just hit the purell on their way out of the bathroom. I think that's kind of gross personally, but maybe I'm being an idiot.

What says ATOT? Is it ok to not wash your hands after going to the bathroom and instead *only* using Purell?

I would be glad they were using the Purell as I think a lot of people, guys especially, skip the hand cleaning all together

 

[robphelan]

normally, i hit both the soap/water then a shot of purell on the way out to help protect against what's on the door handle

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Purell does not remove the shit on your hands.

At least its germ free poo then