Which is better for sterilization, hand sanitizer or soap? Comparative analysis of hand sanitizer and soap

There are many kinds of cleaning products on the market, such as hand sanitizer, soap, etc. Faced with the current external high-risk biological groups such as bacteria, fungi and viruses, what kind of hand washing products can be truly safe and guaranteed? Which is better for killing bacteria: hand sanitizer or soap?

Which is better for sterilization, hand sanitizer or soap?

From the perspective of sterilization, soap is slightly better than hand sanitizer in terms of sterilization effect. However, due to the high alkalinity of soap itself and the inability to avoid cross-infection and other problems, it is more suitable for quick cleaning and sterilization of heavy stains. Therefore, it is better to use hand sanitizer frequently at home. Of course, the premise of this comparison is that both products are marked with antibacterial functions, otherwise it is meaningless. Hand washing products with antibacterial function are definitely much better than ordinary products.

Comparative analysis of hand sanitizer and soap

1. Hand sanitizer

1. Main ingredients: anionic surfactants and a small amount of nonionic and zwitterionic surfactants, water, thickener, pearlescent agent, glycerin, preservatives, bactericides, flavors, dyes, etc.

2. Cleaning and sterilization principle: The active ingredient of hand sanitizer is mainly anionic surfactant, which is divided into two parts: hydrophilic base and hydrophobic base. When washing hands, the flow of water and the rubbing of hands allow the hydrophobic base to fully surround the various water-insoluble molecules in the oil and dirt, and the hydrophilic base on the other end can make them soluble in water and thus be washed away. And reduce hand bacteria by using alcohol or disinfectants with a concentration of 60% or more and removing oil stains.

3. Advantages: It can remove bacteria by removing oil stains containing bacteria; the added bactericide can kill most bacteria on the hands; it contains more than 60% alcohol, which can kill most bacteria.

4. Disadvantages: Hand sanitizers containing antibacterial and antimicrobial ingredients cannot kill all bacteria because their concentration is diluted by water during hand washing; their cleaning power is not as good as soap. Moreover, hand sanitizer is easy to leave residue, and after use it always feels like it cannot be rinsed clean and is slippery and greasy. Therefore, when washing your hands with hand sanitizer, you must rinse them repeatedly and multiple times, and rub your hands together.

2. Soap

1. Main ingredients: A mixture of various animal fats and vegetable oils, such as butter, mutton fat and coconut oil, which must be refined, bleached, deodorized and other refining treatments before production. Then, the sodium fatty acid is generated after the alkaline saponification reaction, and then sodium hydroxide, synthetic pigments, synthetic flavors, preservatives, antioxidants, foaming agents, hardeners, thickeners, synthetic surfactants, etc. are added. The ingredients of soap are very similar to those of soap, it mainly depends on where it is used. Generally speaking, soap is used for washing face, bathing and washing hands.

2. Cleaning and sterilization principle: Soap molecules can be divided into two parts: hydrophilic group and hydrophobic group. When soap molecules enter the water, the hydrophilic group will destroy the attraction between water molecules, making the water molecules evenly distributed on the skin surface to be cleaned. The hydrophobic base combines with the oil stains and, after agitation and rubbing, forms smaller oil droplets that can be easily washed away. It removes bacteria by its strong alkalinity and by removing oil from hands.

3. Advantages: Soap is alkaline, and bacteria will destroy the bacterial cell walls under alkaline conditions, achieving the effect of cleaning and sterilization; the cleaning effect is better, and most bacteria can be removed by removing the oil in the small gaps between the hands.

4. Disadvantages: Due to its strong bactericidal ability, it will kill beneficial bacteria on the hands; exposure to the air after use can easily lead to the retention of harmful bacteria, and use by multiple people at the same time will increase the risk of cross-infection.