Instead of buying bottle after bottle of hand sanitizer which can go fast with a lot of kids, I save old spray bottles that give a mist like hair spray pump bottles. I refill them with rubbing alcohol. It also doesn't leave spots on the floor like the hand sanitizer can. So far no sick days this school year.
I use alcohol/baby massage gel combination at times. The baby massage gel leaves it such a soft soft scent. It's nice. I am willing to bet a cheap aloe vera gel/alcohol mix would be the same as sanitizer.
Wow, I was just wondering about this the other day really. My friend goes through them as she has a baby, and keeps one near changing station and teases me because I use the gel then wash my hands. I have always been a hand washing freak.
Wanted to add that hand sanitizers contain alcohol of one form or another (generally 60 to 65 %) and that is how they work to kill bacteria. What is added to the sanitizer is skin softening/moisturizing agents which help counteract the drying effects of alcohol which removes the natural oil from your skin. (That natural oil also helps protect against bacteria). So, personally I'll stick with carrying inexpensive rubbing alcohol in a small spray bottle and put on a dab of lotion just after the alcohol wash ;-) Besides, you can also use that spray bottle for grocery cart handles, public bathroom doors, etc ;-)
Sorry, but being in the health care biz I know that the hand sanitizer concept has been heavily researched and proven equal if not in some studies better than soap and water, BUT the thing is, if it's not a gel, it isn't in contact with your skin long enough to do an adequate job. I know you're tempted to say 'better than nothing' but hey, clean is clean, so go for what really works. Good for you for thinking frugal. Hand-san is sold in bigger jugs for cheap in restaurant supply places and WalMart has what looks like a quart size jugs of generic name. I love hand-san because there's no towel needed, not near the need for great technique (just be sure to rub your thumb and finger pads together).
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