Singlecare: Can hand sanitizers or hand-washing kill the flu?
Dr. Carl Fichtenbaum says it's what you do with your hands when cleaning them that's important
New research examines what is more effective against the flu: hand sanitizer or hand washing. The study found that when the flu virus is trapped in wet mucus, it can remain infectious for up to four minutes after exposure to hand sanitizer—in other words, much longer than you might have guessed. According to the study, hand-washing—even without soap and even when the infected mucus was wet—was, indeed, very effective in removing the flu virus. It eliminated it in just 30 seconds.
Dr. Carl Fichtenbaum of the Division of Infectious Diseases in the UC College of Medicine, in an interview with Singlecare, said "the fight wasn't fair." He says researchers didn’t study how hand sanitizer works when it’s rubbed into the skin, only when it was dabbed onto fingers, adding "hand rubbing is the critical part of all this."
Additional Contacts
Related Stories
How to determine if you’re at risk for adult ADHD
October 7, 2025
The University of Cincinnati's Stephen Rush was featured in a National Geographic article discussing current research into the causes and characteristics of ADHD, particularly when it is diagnosed in adults.
Are gel manicures safe?
October 6, 2025
The University of Cincinnati's Kelly Dobos was featured in a TIME article discussing the safety of gel manicures after the European Union prohibited the use of a chemical ingredient called trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide used in some gel nail polishes.
Pucks for Platelets exclusive event kicks off for Hoxworth donors
October 3, 2025
Hoxworth Blood Center, University of Cincinnati, is excited to announce the second annual Pucks for Platelets experience for all platelet donors.