Hand Sanitizers

Public health agencies, including the Public Health Agency of Canada, recommend alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol. Most professional products, such as Purell Advanced, contain about 70 percent ethanol. Hand sanitizers sold in Canada must be authorized by Health Canada and carry a Natural Product Number (NPN) or Drug Identification Number (DIN) on the label.

No. Food handlers must wash their hands with soap and warm running water, because sanitizer does not remove grease, food residue and dirt, and it is less effective on visibly soiled hands. Wash for at least 20 seconds, rinse and dry with a single-use towel. Sanitizer can be used as an extra step after washing, or at points where a sink is not available, such as front counters.

Both work when they contain enough alcohol and are used correctly: enough product to cover all surfaces of the hands, rubbed until dry, about 20 seconds. Foam spreads quickly and does not drip, which suits wall dispensers and busy entrances. Gel is easy to see and control, and suits pump bottles and pocket sizes. Choose the format that fits your dispensers, since closed refill systems such as Tork and Soft Care only take their own refills.

A typical handwash uses about 0.4 to 1 mL of foam soap or 1 to 2 mL of liquid soap. A 1.2 L foam refill therefore gives roughly 1,200 to 3,000 hand washes. Foam soap uses less product per wash than liquid, which makes refills last longer. Busy washrooms in restaurants, schools and gyms often go through a refill per dispenser every week or two.

Sealed refill cartridges are replaced as a unit, so soap or sanitizer is never exposed to air or topped up into old product. Topping up open bulk soap dispensers can allow bacteria to grow in the reservoir and contaminate hands. Sealed systems also dispense a measured dose, which controls cost. If you use bulk refillable dispensers, empty, wash and dry them fully before refilling.

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