Everyone I know is sick right now. Hell, I don’t even know you and I bet you’re sick right now. The other thing everyone seems to be doing right now is basting their hands in an alcohol gravy every few hours. Alcohol kills bacteria, sure, but the common cold and swine flu are viruses. If you insist, there are healthier alcohol-based sanitizers (see below), but what you really should be doing to prevent viruses is washing your damn hands!
SANITIZERS
For a miraculously alcohol-free sanitizer, spray on Clean Well’s All-Natural Hand Sanitizer (pictured above), 30ml, $6.59. The active ingredient is thyme oil, which is almost as effective as bleach, but not nearly as harmful (or stinky).
EO has a line of sanitizers that are alcohol- based, but the alcohol is organic ethanol and the other ingredients are mostly sweet-smelling essential oils with their own antibacterial properties (peppermint, thyme, lavender and lemon), and also serve to moisturize your precious winter hands. They also come in lots of sizes, including a spray bottle so small you could tuck it into your cleavage.
EO Hand Sanitizer Gel, Organic Lavender, 240ml, $15.89; EO Hand Sanitizer Gel, Organic Lemon, 60ml, $8.79; EO Hand Sanitizing Spray, Organic Peppermint with Thyme, 10ml, $4.89.
SOAPSSanitizers should only be used when you really can’t get to some running water and give your hands a proper wash. The film left by sanitizers can actually trap more dirt and bacteria on your hands, so there’s a reason your hands still feel sticky and dirty afterwards.
When it comes to soaps, no one is better than Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps. The magic part is that the ingredients are glycerin, organic essential oils, citric acid, vitamin E and water. That’s it. Using a bar of soap helps to scrub your hands clean, and citrus oils are naturally antiseptic.
All-One Hemp Citrus Orange Pure Castile Soap, 140g, $5.89.
If you’ve already fallen victim to a cold, a warm shower using either the peppermint or eucalyptus oil liquid soaps will help to clear you out, and the small bottle sizes mean you can have one in your bag for when the Sneaky Dee’s soap dispenser runs dry.
18-in-1 Hemp Peppermint Pure-Castile Soap, 59ml, $3.49; 18-in-1 Hemp Eucalyptus Pure-Castile Soap, 59ml, $3.49.
All of these products are available at Noah’s, 667 Yonge, 416-969-0220 and other locations.