Why sanitizer works, but hand washing works better

Thursday, March 5, 2020 - 14:10 in Health & Medicine

Washing your hands with soap is your best defense from viruses and bacteria, but hand sanitizer is a close second. (Image by Martin Slavoljubovski from Pixabay /)Follow all of PopSci’s COVID-19 coverage here, including travel advice, pregnancy concerns, and the latest findings on the virus itself.If you haven’t gotten the memo to wash your hands regularly, especially now with COVID-19 floating around, it’s time to break out the soap and get scrubbing. But something that’s not as clear is whether you should stock up on hand sanitizer, or even make your own if the Amazon prices are giving you heartburn.So, what do the experts recommend? Wash your hands whenever possible, and if you can’t get to a sink, sanitizer is good, too (both the kind from the store and the kind you can make). Here’s the breakdown of why soap comes first, and why sanitizer has its pros and cons.What...

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