How long should hands be rubbed with alcohol-based hand sanitizer to ensure effectiveness?

Using alcohol-based hand sanitizer effectively requires a sufficient amount of time to ensure that the product can adequately kill germs and microbes present on the hands. The recommended duration for rubbing hands with the sanitizer is at least 20 seconds. This duration allows for the ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol in the sanitizer to effectively disrupt the cellular structure of pathogens, leading to their destruction.

Rubbing the hands for 20 seconds also ensures that all areas of the hands are covered, including the front and backs of the hands, between fingers, and under nails, which are common places for germs to reside. This thorough method of application maximizes the sanitizer's effectiveness against a wide range of pathogens, including viruses and bacteria.

The time of 20 seconds has been established as a standard based on studies that indicated this duration provides the best outcome in terms of reducing microbial presence significantly compared to shorter times. Longer durations, such as 30 seconds, may not be necessary and could be less practical in everyday situations, but the key is reaching that minimum of 20 seconds for adequate sanitization.