Travelers fret over the possibility of picking up germs when they are out and about, especially when traveling to regions of the world that have a reputation for not-so-cleanliness. Those traveling to Mexico, India or other parts of Asia can get a little paranoid about picking up locals germs that might make them sick .
What’s a balanced and safe approach to cleanliness, especially hand cleanliness, when traveling to these regions? Let’s take a look at some things we can do and maybe even some things not to worry about.
Look Ma, No Hands!
Many public restrooms in the Western world allow you to come in and do your business without touching anything in the room. They have a touchless hand sanitizer dispenser, touchless taps, etc. You don’t even have to touch a door to get in and out of the restroom. Now, there are many restrooms in Mexico that do not even have running water, let alone a hand sanitizer dispenser. What should you do? How do you keep your hands clean?
When traveling it’s a good idea to carry along a sanitizer with you. Although some people can get over-paranoid and constantly are applying the gel from their instant hand sanitizer dispenser, there is a time and place where it is a good idea. After using a restroom is one time and before eating would be another good time.
There are different types of solutions available for this use so let’s compare them.
Alcohol Based
The common type of sanitizer on the market is the alcohol based gel. The Purell hand sanitizer dispenser can be seen in restrooms around the globe and in small bottles for home and travel use. This type of gel is said to kill 99.99% of the common germs that cause sickness. For travel, you can find this type of product in a small bottle or as disposable wipes. Some will add other ingredients such as aloe or Vitamin E, to leave your hands moisturized after use as the alcohol will dry out your hands. Chemicals are also added as inactive ingredients to stabilize, preserve, etc.
Remember none of these products will make you hands look cleaner or remove physical dirt. They will simply kill germs. With alcohol based products, look for at least 60% alcohol for effectiveness.
Natural Alternatives
Many are wary of using alcohol and other chemicals on the skin for the purposes of cleansing. You can now find many products in your local health food store that use Tea Tree oil and other natural organic ingredients to kill germs and keep your hands feeling nice. Commonly added ingredients are aloe, chamomile, mint and other various essential oils. Apparently the little germs don’t particularly like tea tree oil, which has long been recognized for germ fighting and anti-bacterial use.
If you’re wanting to keep clean and stay away from chemicals this may be a good solution. You can also look online for recipes to make your own solutions using these ingredients.
Do We Need These Sanitizers?
There is a wide variety of perspectives and information regarding the use of alcohol and chemical based sanitizers. Some say that they kill the good germs with the bad. Some prefer soap and water. Let’s apply some common sense practice to this and say that if you’re traveling and need to wash your hands but there isn’t any soap and water, use some sanitizer.
When traveling you’re body is simply not used to the “foreign” bugs and germs that it will be exposed to. Using moderate amounts of sanitizer is probably a sound idea. Don’t get too paranoid though. You don’t need to apply it every hour. Use it when it seems to be the best option for cleansing your hands. Whether you choose alcohol based or a natural product is up to you.