Ok to Purell instead of washing hands after going to the bathroom?

[DisgruntledVirus]

This seems to be a common thing at my job. People go to the bathroom, skip the sink and just hit the purell on their way out of the bathroom. I think that's kind of gross personally, but maybe I'm being an idiot.

What says ATOT? Is it ok to not wash your hands after going to the bathroom and instead *only* using Purell?

 

[ElFenix]

purell only sanitizes, doesn't clean, if that makes sense.

 

[crownjules]

Isn't the whole point of Purell and the like to be able to wash your hands without needing a sink and traditional soap?

 

[Lord Zado]

Unless you piss on your hands, you probably need to sanitize them more for typing all day on your dirty keyboard than going to the bathroom.

 

[Farmer]

Purell does not remove the shit on your hands.

 

[mesthead21]

I just skip Purell and washing my hands and just walk out of the bathroom. Only for peeing tho

 

[vi edit]

Sanitizers aren't detergents.

 

[BeauJangles]

purell only sanitizes, doesn't clean, if that makes sense.

It's also overrated as a sanitizer.

 

[dank69]

The bugs. They are coming for you. You can't see them, but they are there, waiting.

 

[Sluggo]

Just put the Purell on your penis before you pee, problem solved.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

If I washed my hands every time I touched my junk, I'd never be able to leave the sink.

 

[bignateyk]

If I washed my hands every time I touched my junk, I'd never be able to leave the sink.

It isn't about washing after you take a piss. It's about washing after you take a shit.

There really is no need to wash your hands after you pee. Not washing hands after taking a dump is how disease spreads.

 

[gaidensensei]

Sanitizer is alcohol based. It's supposed to kill 99.99% or whatever % the legal disclaimer says on the back of germs, as in attacking bacteria by specific means. Triclosan from antibacterial soap/sanitizers attacks enzyme production sites of the bacteria.

Soap is something else. It's mean to pick up what is on your hands and it goes down the drain, not necessarily killing them in the process.

 

[Mark R]

Isn't the whole point of Purell and the like to be able to wash your hands without needing a sink and traditional soap?

No.

Alcohol gels only sanitize. Sanitization means killing harmful bacteria. It does not remove dirt, grease, etc. More importantly, dirt/grease/biological material deacivates the sanitization effect, so the sanitizer is ineffective for unclean hands.

Where the hands are visibly contaminated after going to the bathroom, while the sanitizer may remove bacteria this is of limited value as:
In the case of urine contamination, urine doesn't contain bacteria/germs anyway - so the santizing effect is not necessary; second, the sanitizer won't do anything about any odor associated with it.
In the case of fecal contamination, if this is visible, you risk inactivating the sanitizer.

The only use for alcohol gels is for people who are at risk of getting trace contamination by infective material on a regular basis (e.g. healthcare workers). People whose hands get dirty should not use sanitizers.

 

[Farmer]

Sanitizer is alcohol based. It's supposed to kill 99.99% or whatever % the legal disclaimer says on the back of germs, as in attacking bacteria by specific means. Triclosan from antibacterial soap/sanitizers attacks enzyme production sites of the bacteria.

Soap is something else. It's mean to pick up what is on your hands and it goes down the drain, not necessarily killing them in the process.

Aren't you a fucking genius.

 

[SP33Demon]

Virii. Purell is helpless against it.

Always wash your hands.

 

[dank69]

Virii. Purell is helpless against it.

Always wash your girlfriends genitals thoroughly before eating.

 

[KeithTalent]

Blech, I hate hand sanitizer; my hands always felt dirtier after using that crap, so I used it a couple of times and never went near it again; I'm a soap and warm water guy through and through.

KT

 

[Macamus Prime]

Wash your fucking hands. You need to remove the dirty and shit from your awful hands. I am not sure how and why people don't fucking get this.

 

[BrokenVisage]

Blech, I hate hand sanitizer; my hands always felt dirtier after using that crap, so I used a couple of times and never went near it again; I'm a soap and warm water guy through and through.

KT

THIS!

Ugh, how to people stand going about their day with their hands all greasy and slimey after using that crap? Just wash your damn hands when appropriate and before you eat. QED

 

[The_Dude8]

Just put the Purell on your penis before you pee, problem solved.

or use the paper towel to hold your junk while peeing, therefore, you don't have to wash your hands.

 

[Mark R]

Virii. Purell is helpless against it.

Always wash your hands.

Actually, hand sanitizers are highly effective against many viruses.

It depends on the type of organism:
Some (enveloped) viruses are relatively resistant, the majority are highly susceptible.

Most bacteria are highly susceptible. Some types (e.g. spore forming bacteria - as might cause diarrhea) are extremely resistant, and not affected by alcohol and most disinfectants, even when used correctly.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Maybe, if you first wipe the shit off your hands onto the walls of your coworker's cubicle or something prior to using it.

 

[dank69]

Wash your fucking hands. You need to remove the dirty and shit from your awful hands. I am not sure how and why people don't fucking get this.

I am not sure you know what that word means.

 

[GlacierFreeze]

Purell does not remove the shit on your hands.

That's why I wipe my ass with toilet paper instead of my hands. You should try it some time.