Hand sanitizer is a great way to help prevent cross contamination. True or false?

We’ve gotten so used to going for hand sanitizer in so many situations, but to address today’s question… preventing cross contamination should NOT be one of them, which makes our answer FALSE.

A study was done in 2004 to measure how well certain cleaners removed peanut protein from various surfaces, including the hands. Guess what? Antibacterial hand sanitizer came in dead last, leaving remnants of the peanut allergen on six out of 12 hands!

So, what should we be using? Good, old soap and water, of course! It left NO peanut residue when tested, BUT only when soap is involved. (Water alone left residue on three out of 12 hands!)

Share this fact with others to help keep your kids safe, and then get additional ways to protect them from their food allergens in AllerMates’ free Allergy Safety Rules downloadable.

All the best,

Iris

P.S. Need other facts on safeguarding your kids from their allergens? Sign up for AllerMates newsletter. We’ve got plenty to share.