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Why Soap-Free Occupational Hand Cleaners Are the Best Choice for Your Workforce

All “soap” is not created equal…and some hand cleaners aren’t even soap at all. It’s true – the technical definition of soap is “a substance made with natural oils or fats with sodium hydroxide or another strong alkali”. A soap-free cleanser is very different as it does not include fats and alkaline ingredients – it uses alternatives of those chemical surfactants (the substances that attract the dirt and clean it) such as plant-based ingredients that are safe for the skin.

While both soap and soap-free cleansers do the job of cleaning the skin, soap strips off the natural moisture and often leaves skin dry, rough and itchy. Due to chemicals used, soaps typically have pH values over 7. The natural pH of the skin is 4-5 so using high pH products often to wash hands dehydrates the skin and can even lead to skin conditions such as rashes, eczema or dermatitis.  Effective soap-free cleansers utilize natural ingredients as surfactants and are significantly gentler on the skin with lower pH values, helping to retain moisture while removing dirt, germs, and other contaminants.

Utilizing soap-free cleansers in the workplace provide the following benefits:

Solutions for the greatest number of employees

In an occupational setting, hand cleansers that offer skin-friendly options along with effective cleaning provide solutions to the greatest number of employees. Those workers that have pre-existing skin conditions won’t have to use different cleansing formulas to achieve clean hands.

Employees won’t avoid washing hands

Workers that have sensitive skin or are experiencing minor issues might avoid washing if the process is to too harsh on their hands. Smart, soap-free cleansers are formulated to be as gentle as possible while effectively cleaning and not causing further stress to the skin. So if washing hands isn’t uncomfortable and employees don’t have to worry about further damage to their skin, they are more likely to wash as often as necessary.

Helps keep employee hands in good health

Healthy skin is an important part of safe work and soap-free cleansers are an effective way to help keep employee hands in good health. Proper cleaning and conditioning with good cleansers helps prevent the onset and further development of occupational skin diseases. With that being the second most common type of occupational illness carrying high costs of treatment and missed work days, keeping employee hands in good health with soap-free cleansing becomes a vital aspect of any safety initiatives.