Hand sanitizer

Would this make a good replacement, or at least supplement, to the use of soap and water while backpacking?

I carry a small spritz bottle of Everclear. All the hand sanitizers contain perfume which strikes me as an animal attractant.

Ditto on the small bottle of alcohol - Although sometimes I like the gel and have been known to take a small bottle of purell - since I carry an alcohol stove using a little as hand sanitizer is fine.

I don't *wash* hands with it - I use good old water and sand/rocks/whatever for that. The only time I use it is upon leaving the toilet area after a poop. Not eating your own or someone else's feces is usually a lot more important in preventing gastrointestinal upset
on the trail than treating your water.

Have you seen this product at Wally World or most drug stores


http://www.persani.com/pen.html


Great Product and take up very little Space




Mike

And of course...it's a great fire starter (the gel) in wet conditions. Something I learned here!

I generally use Band-Aid Cleansing Foam, but not to be used more than three times daily. Doesn't dry out your hands and provides good sanitation. I agree with Phat that this is more important than water treatment.

I find it amusing to watch backpackers wash their hands in a creek (with no soap) and then eat dinner with their hands, but yet will not drink water from that same creek without treating it.

I have found the alcohol gel that I used burns, but is not a great fire started. It burns for a short time and with a tiny flame that is hard to see in daylight.

A flint (ferrocerium rod) and dry paper towel works much better. Or a match or lighter works too.

On a similar note, why not carry extra 90% alcohol and spray it on your hands? Then you don't have the perfume issue. It might dry your skin out in the winter though.

I frequently do exactly that - since I carry an alcohol stove I simply dribble a little but on
my hands and rub around, after leaving the privy.