I found alcohol free instant hand sanitizer!

[Lockie]

Hi everyone,

I found a new hand sanitizer (kills 99% of germs) but without using strong chemicals. I found it via google when I was looking for a refill for my Purell instant hand sanitiser (I have a 1 litre wall mounted pump dispenser because I have pythons, beardies, rats, mice, crickets and a cat, and so I go through LOTS of it!)

Anyway I had a read on the Hands First website and it turns out that all instant hand sanitizers (except this one) are ethanol based (I had a look at my Purell stuff and it has 66% ethanol!!! - if you don’t believe me, squirt a bit on your driveway then light it with a match). Don’t try this at home kids - let Dad lose his eyebrows instead.

Apart from Purell, I’ve tried Dettol but they add a scent to make it smell HORRIBLE, which drives my pythons mad. I had to throw out my Dettol stuff because my pythons HATED the smell (anyone on here smelt it?)

Has anyone else had this problem with the other hand sanitisers out there? I’m really strict on cleaning my hands between herps, so I contacted Hands First after reading a few positive things on their website (Hands First states on their website that it is SAFE for handling reptiles) and I got a small pump bottle that I’ve been using for a week. Now that I’ve had a good go at it, I can tell you that I’ll never go back to the ethanol/alcohol based stuff again.

I am now wondering if the ethanol in other hand sanitisers has any effects (ie long term) on herps - especially frogs as they absorb through their skin. It certainly has short term effects – I have to wait for 60 seconds after putting Purell on before I can handle my herps – and still my pythons go nuts if their tongues touch my hands after i've put it on.

That aside, with OPMV and lots of other little nasties out there, there is NO excuse why everyone shouldn’t use SOME form of hand cleaner or disinfectant. A $5 bottle of ANY hand sanitiser can prevent the spread of disease. It doesn't matter whether you have 1 python, or 1000.

Okay the end bit – I’ve been a member and a sponsor on this site for a long time. This is not a free advertisement for Hands First, and I’m not affiliated with them in any way (I live near Sydney and they’re in South Australia!). I’m leaving positive feedback for them because their product impressed me - but I really don’t think that many herp lovers out there are aware of it.

Anyway, if you’re interested, you can check it out at www.handsfirst.com.au


regards,

Lockie

 

[Lewy]

Cool thanks for that i need something that is not ethanol based as my hands rash up something severe
I to am very strict on keeping my hands clean between snakes

Cheers Lewy

 

[Vixen]

Would these type of hand sanitisers even kill viruses though, eg OPMV?

 

[Lockie]

I'm not sure about OPMV - but it says 99.9% of germs! A germ is different to a virus yeah? Or are they the same?

Is anyone else able to answer Vixenbabe's question?

 

[=bECS=]

How much are they paying you for that glowing advertisement? LOL

Whats wrong with using the F10 hand gel?

 

[buttss66]

Think I'll buy it next time. The back of my hands look as scaly as my dragons skin at the moment! I've got a couple of sickies and disinfecting before I touch each of the eight little guys is taking it's toll!

 

[Lockie]

Haha they're not paying me anything becswillbe - I can't be bought easily! (unless you have a yellow 2008 Lotus Esprit?) I'm just stoked with their sanitizer.

There's nothing wrong with using F10 - a 500ml gel pump of F10 is $30. Yesterday I bought 2 litres of Hands First for $28 and it lasts a lot longer than the F10 gel (i've also used Reptihand in the past, as well as Purell & Dettol, and none of them work out this cheap - even the 1L packs of purell are dearer).

regards,
Lockie

 

[gman78]

Is that $28 delivered?
Did you just go through the wholesale bit on the web page?

 

[Lockie]

Nah Gman - I emailed them directly through their site and asked their prices etc, then I ordered a wall mounted hand dispenser, 2 x 50ml botttles and 2 x 200ml bottles, as well as the 2L refill bottle - I ordered yesterday so it should be here today/tomorrow. Postage was only $12 for all of the above from SA to Sydney. I reckon i'll get another wall mount dispenser though, to save walking from one side of the herp room to the other (im lazy!).

 

[gman78]

Do you have to rent the hand dispenser or can you buy them.
They are the better idea.

 

[Lockie]

I bought the 800ml wall mounted hand dispenser from them for $28 - i'm not sure if you can rent them. $28 isn't too bad considering how long the thing would last (and how much use it'll get at my place!). And a 2L refill will fill the hand dispenser 2.5 times.

I'm a huge user, so the 800ml is the biggest you can get. But you can get the smaller pump bottles for $6 or so.

 

[gelusmuse]

I like good old soap and water.

 

[caustichumor]

I use the dettol brand, it smells like gin and tonic....

 

[Lockie]

I use the dettol brand, it smells like gin and tonic....

haha it does smell like gin & tonic! I wonder what it's like with a little ice, on a nice sunny day?

 

[swaddo]

haha it does smell like gin & tonic! I wonder what it's like with a little ice, on a nice sunny day?

LOL ... flamable

 

[craftsman]

If Hands First is not an ethanol based product, what is the active constituent in it?

 

[Chimera]

"Hands First uses the active ingredient Benzalkonium Chloride which has been safely used in the medical and food industries to sanitise for over 30 years and is used in many products including nasal sprays and eyewash's. Benzalkonium Chloride has lasting Antimicrobial qualities, continuing to kill germs for up to 4 hours after being applied whereas an Alcohol based sanitiser stops working once the Alcohol has evaporated."

I use a chlorhex hand lotion myself which is obviously also in a alcohol base. Given that the ingredient remains active for up to 4 hours I would investigate the possible affects this may have prior to use. I chose the chlorhex because it is commonly used as a topical ointment and therefore is reasonably safe with reptiles. This may well turn out to be the same.

 

[geckodan]

Sorry to burst your bubble but this product is antibacterial, not virucidal. Whilst this makes it useful for reduce zoonotic spread of Salmonella it will have no benefits in control of viral diseases.

 

[swaddo]

Dan, are there any virucidal hand cleaners available to the general public? I'm guessing that the purell and dettol ones aren't either

 

[Chrisreptile]

There is a product (i think its in the states) called Scrubs Hand Sanitizer 'Hand Wipes' that is Bactericidal, Germicidal and Virucidal. Its active ingredient is Ethyl Alcohol.

Here is a link to a heap of other virucidal products: http://www.thefind.com/search?query=virucidal (again its in the states though)