Squeaky Cleaning: Wash, Wipe or Squirt? When your hands are dirty, do you use soap, hand sanitizer or a wipe? In this experiment, I decided to test these hand cleaning methods by rubbing my hands with bacteria and then spraying them with hand cleanser. This report will explain what bacteria is, how soap and water kill bacteria, and the origin of hand sanitizer. What are bacteria? Bacteria are tiny single-celled organisms found everywhere (“What Are Bacteria? What Are Bacteria?” 2009). There is no escaping bacteria. They are everywhere. They are in your stomach and in the air. Some bacteria are beneficial while others can kill (“Bacteria and Handwashing”). The most common bacteria found on hands is Staphylococcus epidermidis, or Staph. Staph is harmless when it's just on your hands, but if it enters the body through a cut, it can be very dangerous (Kelly, Krucik). Why should you wash your hands? Cleaning and washing your hands is the best way to prevent the spread of germs and bacteria. You touch millions of objects a day and each object contains millions of bacteria. From the kitchen sink to your coffee cup, everything is covered in bacteria. Imagine how many bacteria are on your hands right now (Gavin)! Hand Sanitizer The idea of ​​hand sanitizer went from a joke to a $175 million business. Now when you walk into a store, hand sanitizer reigns supreme on the shelves. Does hand sanitizer really work? A recent study concluded that while hand sanitizer kills germs, it cannot remove dirt or grime. So you can only really use the hand sanitizer after you have already washed your hands (Cool Necklace 1). The Beginnings of Hand Sanitizer Hand sanitizer wasn't always such a big deal...... middle of paper.... ..0Mary L. Gavin, “Why Do I Have to Wash hands? » Kids Health March 2011Lisa Collier Cool “Hand Sanitizers: Healthy or Fashionable” Yahoo Health February 11, 2013David Owens “Hands Across America. The Rise of PURELL®. The New Yorker March 4, 2013 "Sanitizer | Define Sanitizer at Dictionary.com." 2006. Chris Sherwood, “How Does Hand Sanitizer Kill Bacteria?” » LiveStrong February 28, 2010 Jimm Harrison « To sanitize your hands or not to sanitize your hands? Such a big question” Jimm Harrison Phytotherapy Institute August 27, 2013 Jennifer Gunter “Thyme Oil or Alcohol Hand Sanitizer: Which is Better? » The Preemie Primer January 22, 2011 « History of Soap and Interesting Soap Facts » History of SoapBrian Fung « Soap: How Much Cleaner Does It Actually Make Your Hands? » The Atlantic June 21, 2012Allyson T. Collins “Disinfectant wipes can spread, but not kill germs” ABC News June 3, 2008