The U.S. Center for Disease Control states that the number one way to prevent the spread of germs is by hand washing. Unfortunately, that is not always convenient. This product does not replace hand washing; it is a supplement. EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser moisturizes skin whilst instantly killing germs, thereby helping to prevent the spread of disease. It is also cost effective, providing more than three times the number of applications of comparably sized alcohol gels.
Research findings from different studies show that alcohol-based hand sanitisers actually increase the number of bacteria on the skin the more they are used. Alcohol is a solvent that strips away oils that are important for water retention, and dries out the skin when it evaporates. This drying effect causes chapping and cracking of the skin, creating cracks and crevices where germs may become trapped or hidden. Even if an alcohol-based hand sanitiser has emollients, repeated use will leave the skin dry, irritated, and more susceptible to invasion by germs. In addition, alcohol-based products are extremely flammable, which is highly undesirable, particularly in medical or school settings. Since EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser is water based, it won’t burn those small, unseen cuts or abrasions so common with school-age children and medical staff. EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser alcohol-free hand sanitiser is highly effective while being very gentle on the skin.
EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser contains the active ingredient Benzalkonium chloride (BAC). This ingredient on its own has been used for over 60 years in medical sanitation, and is approved for safety and effectiveness in antiseptic applications ranging from skin treatments for minor irritations (e.g. Bactine®) to surface sanitisers (e.g. Lysol®). It has been approved by the FDA, in terms of safety, for use as an active ingredient in the oral cavity and a safe food additive.
By itself, however, BAC is deactivated by certain organic materials (e.g. protein, dirt) and by hard water. EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser, is manufactured using the unique BASE Technology™ (BASE = Benzalkonium Chloride + Aloe Vera + Surfactants + Emollients). This process is employed so that the germ-killing activity of BAC is enhanced and effective in killing both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, as well as fungi, yeast, molds and certain viruses. No other hand sanitiser contains the BASE Technology as found in EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser.
Yes. The active ingredient BAC is used by other companies with limited success due to the properties denaturing (neutralizing) the active portion of the ingredient. EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser uses a new preservative system that was only introduced in the last 4 years and ensures the availability of the antimicrobial activity of BAC.
The activity of EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser was challenged by one of our distributors who conducted their own laboratory kill time tests. The results of the test on EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser exceeded the claims and kill time of our current documentation. One reason the results exceeded our current claims is that EcoHydra bases the claims on existing published data. The current data compiled from published studies, FDA, manufacturers and other sources on Benzalkonium Chloride do not reflect the advances that EcoHydra has made in this new formulation.
Many alcohol free products take an excessively long time to dry, and some have added alcohol to speed up drying. Our product dries quickly without alcohol..
EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser performance improves with repeated use! It is more effective the more it is used to a level exceeding FDA standards (AORN, August 1998). This unique formulation does not contain alcohol, and will not dry the skin. The germ-killing action of EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser is persistent.
A double-blind study was completed, which studied the effectiveness of a BAC alcohol free instant hand sanitiser at reducing illness-related absenteeism during the height of a formal cold and flu season in several elementary schools in Southern California. The results of the test indicated that the overall illness was reduced by 33%. The results from this study show that EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser is very effective at reducing costly absences due to gastrointestinal or respiratory illnesses.
Once an alcohol-based sanitiser has evaporated, its killing power is gone. Some brands of alcohol-based sanitisers add heavy fragrance to the formulas to try to give a sense of security to the consumer...("as long as I can smell it, it must still be working")...however, as soon as the sanitiser is dry, it is no longer effective at killing germs. However, EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser has a documented persistence of activity with repeated use.
Yes. EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser meets the performance standards set by the FDA in the 21CFR 333.470: Effectiveness testing of a healthcare personnel handwash. This protocol requires that these products:
EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser was designed with the clinical environment in mind; however, it is gentle enough for daily use on the sensitive skin of children. Therefore, it has applications in all businesses, medical settings, food preparation services and schools.
The answer is species-specific toxicity. Although the BASE Technology antimicrobial system found in EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser is effective on a wide spectrum of microorganisms, it has no detectable toxic effect on human skin in vivo. This is due to the proprietary BASE Technology system, which contains surfactants, Aloe Vera and Benzalkonium Chloride. These elements, when mixed together in the correct fashion at levels that enhance the natural water-retaining barrier function of the skin, focus the activity of the active ingredient, BAC, on the microorganisms which have worked their way into the skin, and which lie between dead skin cells. In addition, Aloe Vera preferentially protects living mammalian cells from the action of the BAC.
EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser is formulated to be highly compatible with the skin. It does not break down the skin's natural water barrier, as do alcohol-containing products, but instead complements that barrier. In addition to this, the Aloe Vera in EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser is a natural emollient and skin softener that helps the skin stay healthy especially with repeated use.
When an alcohol sanitiser evaporates, it leaves behind the non-evaporable parts of the formula. Repeated use of alcohol based hand sanitisers leaves the skin dry and actually more susceptible to infiltration by disease-causing microorganisms. Some manufacturers of alcohol sanitisers have added emollients to these preparations to try and cut down on the drying effect of the alcohol. However, these emollients, when over-used, remain on the skin and become sticky after the alcohol portion of the product has evaporated. This leftover sticky emollient is unpleasant to feel, and can be transferred to food. Furthermore, because it is sticky, it can act as a "germ magnet" and actually pick up germs from surrounding surfaces. A better solution for disinfecting is the BASE Technology antimicrobial system found in EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser that leaves the skin clean and soft with repeated use.
The control of infection is accomplished through sterilization and the use of disinfectants and antiseptics. Sterilization kills all life forms by heat, chemical agents, or gas. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines agents that destroy all forms of microbial life while they are in contact with a surface as sporicides. According to the EPA, Disinfectants also kill microbes but they are not quite as strong. To qualify with the EPA as a hospital disinfectant, an agent must be lethal to Salmonella Cholereasius, Staphylococcus Aureus, and Pseudomonas Aeruginosa. Disinfectants and sporicides are used on inanimate objects, such as floors, equipment, and sinks. They are usually quite harsh and are not used on living tissue. Skin Antiseptics are used to kill or inhibit the growth of micro-organisms on the skin.
EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser is positively charged (cationic), but conventional soaps are negatively charged (anionic). Mixing these two types of formulas together at the same time at a sink, for example, will decrease the effectiveness of both formulas. However, the researchers accounted for the possibility that the user might wash with a conventional anionic soap before using EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser: the lab’s effectiveness testing actually includes the use of a conventional anionic soap immediately (ca 5-10 minutes) prior to product testing. The net finding of that research was that even with prior conventional soap use, the antimicrobial system found in EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser outperformed comparable sanitisers.
No. EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser is formulated not to need dilution with water.
No. EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser is meant to be left on the skin until it dries.
No. Under conditions of normal use, (hands dry after use) the product will not leave any noticeable aftertaste on food. The National Food Safety Database, Section 2-301.16 Hand sanitisers requires that “an antimicrobial product applied to the hands is both
Understanding that various skin types have different natural moisture content, you should use enough to cover your hands, usually 0.5-0.75 ml (1-2 pumps). EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser has less surface tension than many traditional products, and therefore is easily spread on the hands. This allows less of the product to go farther than standard hand sanitisers.
Pricing is very competitive with other hand sanitising solutions currently available, from the perspective of the cost per usage. The cost per usage is significantly lower than branded alcohol-containing hand sanitisers because EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser is a low-viscosity composition. This allows the product to spread more easily across the hands, reduces the amount required per application and provides more than twice the number of uses (based on volume required to achieve effectiveness).
EcoHydra’s Antimicrobial Instant Hand Sanitiser is designed to comply with the performance standards published by the FDA in the proposed rule for Healthcare Antiseptic Drug Products in 21CFR333.470: Effectiveness testing of Healthcare Personnel Handwashes. In addition, the product meets the performance standards set by the USDA (i.e. germ- killing power is greater than 50 ppm chlorine) and the FDA Glove Juice Test protocol.
In the United Kingdom the tests conducted to date lead to the following conclusions:
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