Why is hand disinfection important?

Disinfectant differences

Disinfectants differ more than you think. For different purposes, different products are needed, each with a suitable active ingredient. And in the case of disinfection, it is important which active ingredient is contained in the product.

Surface disinfection

Whether the work surfaces in large kitchens, the shelves in doctors’ offices or the bathroom at home should be cleaned thoroughly on a regular basis to protect against germs and pathogens. The best way to do this is to use the cleaning agents provided. These contain chlorine, chlorine compounds, aldehydes or hydrogen peroxide as active ingredients. In fact, surface disinfectants release significantly more and stronger vapors that can cause long-term respiratory damage than hand disinfectants. That’s why you should wear gloves during application and ventilate the room well after cleaning.

Skin disinfection

Hand sanitizers are practical tools in the fight against bacteria, viruses and fungi. Alcohol – specifically ethanol or isopropanol – is usually used as the active ingredient. It is important to disinfect the hands specifically, but all the more carefully and very thoroughly. Quality clearly takes precedence over quantity.

Disinfect hands regularly

Shopping carts, handles on public transportation, handles, handrails, etc. – some of these items were regularly cleaned and wiped even before Corona. At the latest since the pandemic, this is a must. But in public spaces, unfortunately, it is not enough to rely on this. That’s why you should carry a small disinfectant with you and disinfect your hands after a shopping trip, a train ride, a visit to the doctor. In principle, however, it is advisable to give preference to classic hand washing in the case of visible dirt, so as not to place unnecessary strain on the skin. This is because the alcohol contained in the hand disinfectant extracts oil from the skin, so that your hands can dry out if you disinfect them excessively.

Indirect transmission of pathogens

The indirect transmission of pathogens is precisely the reason why hand hygiene is important not only in hospitals, doctors’ offices and nursing homes. Because with one touch to your face, pathogens can enter the organism through the mucous membranes in the eyes, nose and mouth, multiply there and in the worst case cause mischief. You reduce this risk with careful hand hygiene.

Surface disinfection also important

Germs such as viruses or bacteria also adhere to surfaces and can be detected for up to several hours. So if several people touch the same object, transmission can take place here as well. So just like hand disinfection, surface disinfection is also part of all-round protection.

Disinfection Spectrum of action / target organism

Want to know how disinfectants work? Here is an overview of which pathogens disinfectants can kill and what the corresponding names are.

Bactericidal

Antibacterial or also bactericidal disinfectants kill bacteria. This is particularly relevant as protection against diseases such as whooping cough and tuberculosis. But it can also be used to eradicate salmonella.

Fungicide

Fungi are also often undesirable in the human body. Fungicidal disinfectants ensure that they do not enter the human organism in the first place.

Limited virucidal

Limited virucidal disinfectants are effective against viruses, but not against all. Viruses are divided into enveloped and non-enveloped viruses, and enveloped viruses are easier to crack than non-enveloped ones. Therefore, a limited virucidal disinfectant is effective against coronaviruses and influenza viruses.

Limited virucidal plus

Limited virucidal PLUS products represent an intermediate stage between limited virucidal and virucidal. They combat enveloped viruses, but also Andenoviruses, Rota viruses and noroviruses.

Virucidal

Coated or not, a virucidal disinfectant takes them all down. At least all known types of viruses.

Risks from too much disinfection?

In fact, there are risks if you disinfect your hands too often, as the hand sanitizer can dry them out. In the worst case, you can deal with redness, eczema and irritation. Therefore, you should either choose a disinfectant with a care factor or treat your skin regularly with an oily cream to compensate for this effect. Or you can protect your skin twice – and do both.

Perfect hand disinfectant also for children

Do you now have a more specific sense of why disinfection is important? Hand disinfection is not just a matter for adults, however. Children’s hands should also be cleaned carefully, with young children it is important to ensure that the exposure time is observed before the little ones go back to playing and exploring the world with their hands, eyes and mouth.

At Wiesenberg, we have taken care in the development of our formulation to ensure that our product is well tolerated by both adults and children’s skin and has a caring effect. Another plus is the delicate, fresh citrus scent. We offer different packaging sizes and packages in our online store. Just drop by! We will be happy to answer any questions you may have.