When Kids Head Back-to-School, Germs Follow

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), each year, more than 165 million school days are lost due to illness. There is abundant evidence indicating absenteeism is significantly reduced when children simply wash their hands properly and regularly. But that’s easier said than done. In recent years, in an effort to reduce transmission of germs, hand sanitizers have filled the hand washing void. In fact, many school districts now include hand sanitizer on the list of back-to-school supplies. But some products have also become a safety consideration.

While alcohol-based hand sanitizers are effective, they can be harsh on skin and include potentially toxic and flammable levels of alcohol (an alcohol-based sanitizer can be as much as 124 proof) as well as other harmful ingredients. Many popular products even include warning labels that read: “Call Poison Control if Accidentally Ingested,” and there have been recent reports of children becoming seriously ill after licking or swallowing these products. This has generated a grassroots effort by some teachers and parents to ban all products containing alcohol from their schools.

For concerned parents, there is a safe, effective and healthier alternative. CleanWell is the only all-natural, alcohol-free hand sanitizer with Ingenium™, a patented formulation of essential oils that are lab proven to meet FDA standards for 99.99% germ-killing efficacy. It is non-toxic, safe for kids, gentle on skin, environmentally friendly and available at a discounted rate to schools through the company’s healthy school program.

According to Dr. Larry Weiss, an expert in infection control and epidemiology, and CleanWell’s Chief Technology Officer, hand hygiene is a public health issue that affects everyone; when kids get sick, so do families, teachers, parents and co-workers. He supports using hand sanitizers but recommends consumers read the ingredients and warning labels to be aware of the chemicals their families may be exposed to, especially when children are present.

“Kids experience the world through their hands – they touch everything, they taste things and they pick up germs along the way that can make them sick – it’s part of growing up,” said Dr. Weiss. “Hand sanitizers are a useful compliment to proper hand washing and can help reduce the incidence and severity of illnesses. Using a hand sanitizer when soap and water isn’t available is an important step in keeping families healthier.”

Good hand hygiene habits, which include proper washing with soap and water, are indisputably the best way to prevent the spread of illness-causing germs. According to a recent study, Americans could reduce their incidence of many common illnesses by 50 percent if they just washed their hands five times per day for a minimum of 20 seconds. But for many – especially kids – the frequency and duration of hand washing falls well under that recommendation.

CleanWell is available in an easy-to-use, mess-free spray and biodegradable handy wipes, which leave hands soft. For more information, local retail locations or to purchase directly, visit: www.cleanwelltoday.com. For more information about the importance of hand hygiene and safe options for back to school visit www.abetterwaytoclean.com.

About CleanWell

More than a decade ago, the founder of CleanWell and his wife welcomed a baby boy born with an immune system disorder. Their son’s condition required they be extra attentive to the products used in their home. This prompted them, along with the founder’s mother – an aromacologist (knowledgeable of plant oils) – to start investigating natural alternatives to toxic disinfecting agents found in everyday cleaning products. And, after years in development, the result was Ingenium™, the first safe and effective natural alternative to the harsh synthetic chemicals found in most anti-bacterial and disinfecting products. CleanWell’s all-natural hand sanitizer (which debuted in early 2007) delivers a variety of environmental advantages as the plants used in the main ingredient are rapidly renewable resources sustainably grown without pesticides or fertilizer. Additionally, there are no toxic byproducts resulting from the distillation process. CleanWell is based in San Francisco, CA.