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Cleaning Hands Before Glutening...

africanqueen99

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africanqueen99 Contributor
africanqueen99
Posted

I realize this seems like a silly question because soap and water is the best option.  What do you do when you're out and about and your little celiac touches something that will seriously gluten them?  I read that hand sanitizer won't work, but I can't find definitive research on that.  What about a baby wipe?  Would that get enough off until we can get home or to a suitable hand washing station?

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bartfull Rising Star
bartfull
Posted

Wipes won't work. I would keep a wet, soapy washcloth in a ziplock bag, plus a bottle of plain water to rinse with. Rinse, wash well with cloth, rinse again. If you're in the car of course you'll have to stop and get out of the car to do this, unless you keep a lidded bucket in the car.

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

I think wipes could work.  Wiping is the important part to get the gluten off.  Maybe 2 wipes? and a dry paper towel or napkin? Or a Hazamat suit?  :D

Adalaide Mentor
Adalaide
Posted

I used wipes on my baby cousin when I was babysitting him. He hadn't learned to wash his hands yet. While he was gluten free when he was here, I knew that he had invariably been eating things like cereal bars or pancakes for breakfast and needed to be de-glutenized. I was very careful to get his entire hand, between his fingers along the edges of his nails, etc. And yes, I did this twice upon his arrival to make sure that I really got him.

 

I do have to agree though that the best option will always be good old hand washing. The reason hand sanitizer won't work is because it's just alcohol to kill germs. Gluten isn't a germ so what good will it do? None. Since alcohol doesn't break up gluten proteins (which we know because... beer, also science but pffft) it won't do any good to slather gluten covered hands in alcohol to decontaminate.

africanqueen99 Contributor
africanqueen99
Posted
  • Author

Or a Hazamat suit?  :D

I truly think my middle kid makes dirt in some weird factory in our basement to give to the youngest.  It's his special gift...

ImaMiriam Apprentice
ImaMiriam
Posted

I think you need water the most, and that hand-wipes are better than nothing. Hand sanitizer doesn't work.

 

I like the idea posted above, about a soapy wet washcloth in a ziplock bag. You really, really need to rinse with water.

 

I have a related question which I think is kind of weird.... I've noticed that a lot of liquid hand soaps have Vitamin E in them. Some (maybe most?) Vitamin E comes from wheat gluten -- so what does that mean for us? For example, if I'm at a friend's house and wash my hands with this type of soap, do I now have gluten on my hands???!!!!

 

Confusing! :unsure:

StephanieL Enthusiast
StephanieL
Posted

Baby wipes aren't ideal.  They contain emollients that just squish the protein around.  This is my choice list:

 

1) Soap and water

2) Wet-Ones 

3) Not eating till we find soap and water :)

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africanqueen99 Contributor
africanqueen99
Posted
  • Author

3) Not eating till we find soap and water :)

Don't I wish!  I never realized how many cheeze-its, crackers and pretzels are just lying all over the ground until I had to be alert.  This entire question came about because we were at a soccer game for one kid on Saturday and the baby managed to find a soggy old pretzel just hanging out in a huge field.  How the heck did she find the ONE food source in a two soccer field radius?!

 

I don't know what a wet one is, but I'll look the next time I'm at Target.

StephanieL Enthusiast
StephanieL
Posted

I have a kid with life threatening food allergies on top of Celiac.  He was a finger sucker till he was 5. I KNOW that these kids find in the strangest of places!!!!! lol  

 

We were always on him because of the finger sucking esp.  Wet Ones are moist wipe much like a baby wipe but does a better job at removing "junk" when you can't wash.  I buy them by the case ;) 

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Don't I wish!  I never realized how many cheeze-its, crackers and pretzels are just lying all over the ground until I had to be alert.  This entire question came about because we were at a soccer game for one kid on Saturday and the baby managed to find a soggy old pretzel just hanging out in a huge field.  How the heck did she find the ONE food source in a two soccer field radius?!

 

I don't know what a wet one is, but I'll look the next time I'm at Target.

Open Original Shared Link

Small packets are often by the cash register.

weluvgators Explorer
weluvgators
Posted

When my kids were younger and when we travel we keep water and soap in the car for handwashing. The water jugs with spouts work well to setup a handwashing station.

africanqueen99 Contributor
africanqueen99
Posted
  • Author

Alright, I'm off the Target to buy wet ones, a big bottle for water, car soap and some towels. I now declare I am "that mom"!!

Thanks for the help!

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