It’s not always practical to wash your hands. Perhaps you are not near a sink or you just need to wash them frequently. There are several types of gel available, all of which are alcohol based. They come in various sizes, and some actually can clip onto you.
To use the gel, just open the top, squeeze some into your hand, then rub it into your hand, in between your fingers, into your nails, around your thumb, and on the back of your hand. Ensure that all areas of your hands are covered. The gel will dry within a few seconds, and your hands will be clean.
Hand sanitiser can also be found in wall mounted containers. With these, simply push down on the front of the box to release some gel into your hand and rub it in as described earlier.
Another product available is universal wipes. With these, just open the front of the package, pull out the wipe, and wipe your hand in a similar fashion to the gel. You can also wipe down surfaces with the wipes. Once you are finished with a wipe, dispose of it according to your local workplace practices.
You can buy gels from many places from petrol stations to supermarkets and the costs are very low. It is a good idea to keep a small container of gel in your car as you never know when you may need it.
More information see our infection control course at www.proinfectioncontrol.co.uk