Selecting the correct soap and sanitizer for a long-term care facility is crucial to ensuring the health and safety of residents. Hand soap and sanitizer play a vital role in reducing the risk of infections, especially in settings such as nursing homes, memory care units and long-term care facilities where residents live within close quarters of one another. There are a multitude of soap and sanitizer options to choose from including antibacterial, antimicrobial, 70% alcohol, non-alcohol, etc. Below we’ll explore the benefits of both soap and sanitizers and what makes the best for long-term care facilities.
Hand Soap:
The best hand soap for long-term care facilities is one that is gentle on skin, scentless, and effectively kills germs. With many residents of long-term care facilities having sensitive skin, a gentle soap reduces the risk of irritation or damage to skin. A scentless soap ensures that residents with respiratory sensitivities are not irritated by a strong fragrance and can prevent unpleasant odors caused by certain chemicals in soap. Most importantly, having a soap that effectively kills germs is key to safety and reducing the risk of infections in long-term care facilities where residents are typically at higher risk of serious infection. Kutol’s Dye & Fragrance Free soap fits all of these categories and also contains aloe vera, vitamin E, and amino acids which all help keep the skin moisturized. This is excellent for hands but what about a product for cleaning the rest of your body? Kutol’s No Rinse Washcream is a gentle, ready-to-use skin cleaner that cleans with extreme care in the most delicate situations. All that is needed is some of the washcream on a damp cloth or wipe, no rinsing is needed. This product is designed to clean perineal areas and dissolve fecal soils, it is pH-balanced and doesn’t leave behind irritating soap residue.
Another soap ideal for use in nursing homes and care facilities is antibacterial hand soap. Antibacterial soap is a crucial tool in maintaining hand hygiene and preventing the spread of infectious diseases. In settings where individuals with weakened immune systems are often present, the use of antibacterial soap is important for killing harmful bacteria that could lead to serious illness. It is important for faculty, staff, nurses, and doctors in these facilities to use antibacterial soap to prevent the spread of diseases. These professionals are in close contact with patients and are at risk of contracting and spreading infections. By practicing good hygiene, they can protect themselves and their patients from illnesses.
Hand Sanitizer:
When it comes to hand sanitizers, alcohol-based options are the most effective in killing germs. However, these formulas may not be ideal for an environment such as a long-term care facility. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be harsh on hands and repeated use will cause dryness and cracked hands. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also flammable, which in an environment where evacuation might take longer in the event of a fire, it is ideal to have the most flame-resistant facility possible. A resident may also ingest the sanitizer which could cause a slew of health problems if done repeatedly. A more ideal sanitizer option for long-term care facilities are non-alcohol formulas including Kutol’s Foaming No Alcohol Hand Sanitizer. This sanitizer contains aloe vera and vitamin E which makes it gentle on hands and prevents irritation. It is non-flammable, has no added dye, and has no medicinal odor, making it ideal for residents of long-term care facilities. Non-alcohol hand sanitizers are effective at eliminating germs due to its active ingredient: benzalkonium chloride. These sanitizers kill 99.99% of common germs in 15 seconds.
So, what is the best soap and sanitizer for a long-term care facility? They are fragrance free, non-flammable, gentle on skin, and most importantly, prevent infection and stop germs. Kutol’s full line of hand hygiene and skin care products check all these boxes and are a good fit for long-term care facilities. View our product page to learn more about hand and skin care options for long-term care facilities.