Overview
Keeping your hands clean is not just for germaphobes, it’s something all of us should do in order to keep ourselves healthy and prevent the spread of germs. It’s been said that you unconsciously touch your face several hundred times per day, so the hands can serve as a conduit, bringing germs right to your mouth, eyes, and nose leading to illness. There are generic versions of hand sanitizer in every supermarket, so what we really wanted to know is does it work better than the cheaper versions.
The Claim
They say that it’s faster to clean your hands with Germ-X, and that it takes an average of just 15 seconds compared to a minute with soap and water. They also say that it kills the germs that make you sick, and that you don’t need to use any water, you don’t need to rinse, and you don’t need to towel off in order to use it. They say it kills 99.99% of germs. They must still be working on that .01% that survives the onslaught.
The Hype
Hand sanitizers hit their peak a few years back when everyone was using them, and they started showing up in places where it makes sense to sanitize your hands, like at grocery stores, airports, and restaurants. They’ve died down in recent years, and you don’t see people using them as often as they once did. However, it still makes sense to keep a bottle of it around, because the classic case of having it and not needing it is better than needing it and not having it.
The Cost
The cost of Germ-X is very nominal, but you have to consider that they are
The Commitment
The way that it’s recommended to use hand sanitizer is to first wash and dry your hands, and then apply it. This means that if you’re using it the way it was intended it’s going to represent an extra step to the hand cleaning process. But many times it’s used in a pinch, when washing your hands isn’t really an option, so in this case it can represent no extra commitment on your part, and you’ll likely be glad that you had it handy so you can have cleaner hands without having to wash them.
Evaluation
The Germ-X line of products is ever-expanding and they seem to have a version of it for every imaginable scenario. They have travel sized packs for when you’re on the go, they have larger sizes for at-home use, they have wipes in case you don’t like using the liquid. The feedback across the board has been very supportive of the fact that Germ-X works, and works well.
Studies have shown that using antibacterial products might actually lead to getting sick more often, just with more advanced strains of viruses as they become immune to the sanitizer you’re using. That’s why it’s a better idea to use them as a last resort, or when there are no other options, and not as your sole means of defense against germs and bacteria.
The Germ-X product line is getting our Thumbs Up rating, they definitely work and contain the right amount of active ingredients to be effective. They’ve done a good job of anticipating the different situations you might find yourself in, and they’ve developed different products for specific scenarios. Each of their different items gets high marks from users, and you can use any of them for reliable germ-killing tool.
That being said, the active ingredients in generic store brands is going to be the same, and the effect will also be the same. You don’t really have to pay a premium to get Germ-X over another lesser-known brand at a smaller price. But many users say that Germ-X is preferable because of the way your hands feel when you’re finished, and there are some products like the wipes that don’t have a generic offering yet.
Our Recommendation
Keeping yourself germ-free and healthy requires a multi-tiered approach. Not only do you want to make sure that your hands are clean as much as possible, including sanitizing them when they’ve been through an especially germy situation, but from the inside as well, with a healthy and strong immune system.
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View Comments
Germ X does work. I used to work as a cashier and I kept a bottle next to the register as money is known to be one of the dirtiest things to touch. I used Germ X after each transaction. It can make your hands very dry and chapped if you use it often, but it does kill germs. I carry the travel size in my purse so when I am out and need to clean my hands I have it. We use it in our home instead of basic soap as I feel like you actually get cleaner and kill flu and viruses with Germ X. I suggest everyone have a bottle on hand, especially in the kitchen.
Nothing can take the place of good old soap, water, and friction - except antibacterial gels. Honestly. Studies have shown that these products are more effective at killing many organisms and, while they shouldn't be used exclusively (like, if there is something visible on your hands you should definitely wash them), they are most excellent for outdoor activities where there may not be a place to wash up. Say, while fishing! I used to take packets of wet wipes, but a bottle of hand sanitizer (Germ X really does have a great smell, too) means there is less trash to throw away, too.
I just have to say that the YouTube video featured on here is both hilarious and alarming. Why do people do things like that???? It looked like a college dorm of some sorts...I may have been brave/stupid enough to do that in my college days but I wouldn't do it today. As far as the review of Germ-X: I work with a lot of young children who like to share their sneezes, coughs, and other germs. Germ-X is a must have in a classroom or in any setting (including the home) where the spread of germs is likely.
We religiously use Germ-x at our house. Sometimes I even use it just because I like the smell. When kids have been outside playing and want to come get a drink off the deck I make them use germ-x before anything goes in their mouth.
With all my kids when they were newborn I made visitors and any one that held them wash their hands then use germ-x and none of my kids got sick as newborns. Even after you wash your hands you dry them on a towel that is SUPPOSED to be clean and germ free, but who knows what is lurking there that you cant see. I would rather be safe than sorry.
As I was reading the review for germ x, I suddenly realized that perhaps we live way too cleanly nowadays. Don't get me wrong, I like living clean and I'm not promoting otherwise. But when I was a kid, I used to run around in our backyard, roll over all over the dirt and grass, play with the sand, and when I'd come home I'd wash my hands with a plain soap and that was the end of it. We never used sanitizing lotions or anything like it. It's kind of silly if you think about it. Just something to think about..