Perfect cleaning: wash, wipe or spray? When your hands are dirty do you reach for soap, hand sanitizer or a wipe? In this experiment I decided to put these hand cleaning methods to the test by scrubbing my hands with bacteria and then wetting them with hand cleanser. This report will cover 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). It is impossible to escape bacteria. They are everywhere. They are in your stomach and in the air. Some bacteria are beneficial while others can kill (“Bacteria and Hand Washing”). The most common bacteria found on hands is Staphylococcus epidermidis or Staph. Staphylococcus is harmless when found only on the 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 has millions of bacteria. From the kitchen sink to the coffee cup, everything is covered in bacteria. Imagine how many bacteria are on your hands right now (Gavin)! Hand Sanitizer The idea for hand sanitizer has exploded from a joke to a $175 million business. Now, when you walk into a store, hand sanitizer dominates the shelves. Does hand sanitizer work too? A recent study concluded that while hand sanitizer removes germs, it cannot eliminate dirt or grime. So, you could really only use hand sanitizer after you've already washed your hands (Collier Cool 1). The Beginnings of Hand Sanitizer Hand sanitizer wasn't always big business... middle of paper.... ..0Mary L. Gavin, “Why Do I Have to Wash My Hands?” Kids Health March 2011Lisa Collier Cool "Hand Sanitizers: Healthy or Advertised" 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, 2010Jimm Harrison “To sanitize your hands or not to sanitize your hands? Such an important question” Jimm Harrison Phytotherapy Institute August 27, 2013Jennifer Gunter “Thyme Oil vs. Alcohol Hand Sanitizer: Which is Best?” The Preemie Primer January 22, 2011"History of Soap and Interesting Facts About Soap" History of SoapBrian Fung "Soap: How Much Cleaner Does It Actually Make Your Hands?" The Atlantic June 21, 2012Allyson T. Collins "Disinfecting Wipes Can Spread, Not Kill Germs" ABC News June 3, 2008