Hand sanitizer a next-best option

Dear Readers: A sudsy scrub with soap and water is the best way to clean your hands, but what if that’s not possible? Hand sanitizer is the next best thing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( cdc. gov), a hand sanitizer containing an alcohol concentration of 60 percent to 90 percent is best. Nonalcohol sanitizers might not kill bacteria. Here application are some hints: Pump a small amount, according to what the label recommends, into the palm of your hand. Rub all over your hands. And this is critical: Wait for the sanitizer to dry. If your hands have actual visible dirt, chemicals or grease on them, find a way to wash with soap and water. Hand sanitizers will be ineffective against these. Naturally, keep hand sanitizer away from youngsters. It’s not to be ingested.—Heloise

MOVING PLAN Dear Heloise: Happy foggy morning from Vancouver, Wash.! I’ve moved more times than I can count, and one of the things we learned to do was pack a couple of suitcases like we were going on a short camping trip. We include a set of sheets, a blanket if it’s that kind of weather, a change of clothes—including jammies— bathroom supplies, like toilet paper, shampoo and hand soap. Add fluffy towels and washcloths, and the first night in the new house will be so restful. When we got up on the last day in the old house, we would throw in the medications, toothpaste, toothbrushes and pillows, and haul the suitcases to the car. They are out of the way, and they arrive with us!—Jane M.