During recent weeks, sales of hand sanitizer have skyrocketed, peaking around 73% higher than they were at this time last year, The New York Times reported yesterday (March 3,2020). Prices of hand sanitizer on Amazon have also soared, with one seller recently offering a 24-pack of travel-size bottles for $400, Newsweek reported.

In a pinch, could homemade hand sanitizer do the job? Possibly, but you have to use the right recipe, experts say.

First off, it's important to note that hand sanitizer isn't the first strategy to prevent infection. Frequent and thorough hand washing with soap the best method for reducing hand germs and curbing disease transmission, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). When soap and water aren't available, though, hand sanitizers can be used as an alternative, the CDC says.

Handmade hand sanitizers can also curb microbe exposure — but only as long as they have the correct ratio of alcohol to other ingredients, according to CNN. Stored securely in a closed bottle, a homemade hand sanitizer could last for weeks, CBS reported.

In general, hand washing is more effective for disease prevention than hand sanitizer because soap removes some microbes that alcohol-based products cannot remove. Soap also removes traces of pesticides and heavy metals that hand sanitizers can leave behind.

Even if hand washing is the better method for avoiding germs, hand sanitizers remain popular because of their convenience. "You don't have to look for a sink and running water. That's why they have been so widely adopted, because they're so practical," Schaffner told Live Science.

Whether you're applying hand sanitizer or soap and water, the CDC offers guidelines for their use. Sanitizer should be applied to all hand surfaces and rubbed for about 20 seconds, until it is dry. Hand washing should follow five steps: Wetting the hands; lathering soap (covering the backs of your hands, under the nails and between fingers); scrubbing all surfaces for 20 seconds; rinsing with clean water; and drying with a clean towel.

Which word is closest in meaning to ‘curb’?

end