What's available to clean fingers when you can't wash your hands?

[jlcopen]

I have been in several situations when I needed to check my BS, but I wasn't anywhere near any soap and water. Is there something in a little packet that I can throw in my purse that can clean my fingers, but not affect the results of my BS reading? I had a nurse suggest that I carry around a wet washcloth in a zip lock bag.... There has got to be something out there...

[Kubilee]

I get boxes of alcohol pads in individual packs and keep a few of those in my purse when I go anywhere. These are handy for any number of things. ;)

I keep a box of wetones in my car, for purposes of washing my hands after I have been in the grocery store and handling those yucky baskets..... call me a germaphobe I guess..... but wow, the way things go around anymore and I seem to catch EVERYTHING anymore.

[notme]

I use hand sanitizer. Just buy a small travel one at any drug store.

[Funnygrl]

Your tongue. ;)

[owlyn]

Alcohol wipes or hand sanitizer, which is actually alcohol immersed in a gel. The wipes are better for clenaing dirt off, as you are wiping the dirt away.

[Gordonm]

I know this is not right but I rarely wash my hands unless Ihave just eaten something with my hands. I have checked my BS many times with anywhere from very dirty to clean hands and never had a problem. Never had any infections and I have checked sometimes dirty vs clean fingers with no difference in results. Like I said this is not right but in my job clean hands are almost impossible at all times of testing.

[Stuboy]

yeh you can get boxes of alcohol wipes as suggested already. I did for a while when first dxd but it got old very quickly and just MORE stuff to carry around...

Now i just use my tongue lol. EWwww i know, but hey... i'll never forget my tongue and you have a natural antiseptic in saliva anyway... which is why we lick our wounds.... that's what i was told anyway.

when we go to Egypt, im taking a push'n'squirt bottle of anti-bacterial hand wash, it's just a gel that you rub into your hands. no soap or water needed, just rub it in. i think it's more or less the same thing they use in hospitals now.

[Jill-O]

If it's convenient, I wash my hands before testing. If it's not, I don't. None of my fingers have fallen off or anythng from not always washing my hands first :D

[fgummett]

I seem to recall reading NOT to use alcohol as it can affect the reading?

I wash if I have been handling food so as not to get a false high reading, but otherwise I don't make a big fuss about it... I am of the school that we focus too much on keeping things clean these days :)

[davef]

I have a couple of the alcohol wipes in the car just in case, actually in first aid kit. Have had small bottle of hand sanitizer in since my daugther was born about 11 years ago (not the same one). I haven't used either since DX, but they are there.

I did use wipes once at home because I had prepared dinner and got spices, garlic etc so testing was high (think it was my first "panic" post here), I guess the alcohol will evaporate fairly quickly.

I don't always wash my hands before testing, but always do after being to the bathroom, I'm a good boy, my mom told me so :D

[Gangrel]

I have not used an alcholol wipe or washed my hands specifically for a blood test in, oh, 10 or more years.... and I'm still alive. :P

[kgm0612]

I keep a few packages of "wetnaps" (moist towelettes) in my purse and I also keep a small package of wipes in the glove compartment of my car.

Karen

[jlcopen]

I have been told that all the cleaning agents you all have mentioned cause false results. That the chemicals affect the reading. I was just wondering if there was anything out there made specifically for diabetics to clean their hands that doesn't give a false reading....

[BrianSCohen]

Funnygirl wins the prize!!

If you have not eaten anything for some time, your mouth glucose levels closely approximate your blood levels.

Many cleaning agents leave contaminating traces. Even hand lotion can totally trash a reading.

I vote for using your mouth to clean your finger both before and after your test.

[Tattoo azz]

I don't usually bother faffing around cleaning my hands before i test (unless i've been handling food, or been peepee) i did once use a wipe ment for cleaning glasses tho and that seemed ok. I use my mouth after i test ( this also makes my niece squirm lol lol)