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When you can’t wash your hands with soap and water, hand sanitizer can help kill germs and reduce the spread of viruses and bacteria. If you’re in a pinch or can’t get to the store, take a look at these online retailers that stock plenty of cleaning products — many offer free shipping, too.
Which hand sanitizers kill coronavirus?
Sanitizers need to contain at least 60% alcohol to be effective against germs, including those that cause coronaviruses, according to the CDC. Thus, alcohol-free products are not recommended. The CDC also says that washing your hands with soap and water is the best way to kill viruses and bacteria — but hand sanitizer is a good second choice in a pinch.
Aquattol: In stock, made-in-USA hand sanitizer, 70% alcohol.
Instant, pocket-sized hand sanitizer that's made in and ships from the USA. Limit 10 per customer.
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Ulta: Lots of leading brands are back in stock.
Find hand sanitizers from your favorite brands — including Dr. Bronner's, Megababe and Tonymoly — available to ship right now.
Amazon: Easily buy in bulk and save.
As expected, Amazon offers a huge selection of hand sanitizers, wipes, soaps, cleaning products and more. However, many hand sanitizer options listed on Amazon are currently only available for hospital and medical use.
Unverified: Take caution before ordering to protect yourself against lost orders, shipping delays and price gouging.
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Yes — alcohol-based hand sanitizers are effective at deactivating viruses. However, these products are not as effective as using soap and water. Both soap and alcohol work by removing the lipid membranes that surround virus cells. This “spills” the genetic contents of the virus, thus deactivating it. But soap and water are more effective than hand sanitizer because the added friction of hand-washing helps to remove the virus from your hands. Additionally, most people do not use enough hand sanitizer to maximize its effectiveness.
Natural hand sanitizers that do not contain alcohol have been shown to be ineffective at deactivating viruses. However, sanitizers made with organic, GMO-free ingredients that do contain at least 60% alcohol are deemed effective by the CDC.
Are sanitizers with higher alcohol percentages more effective?
Not necessarily. Higher alcohol content doesn’t necessarily make the product more effective — some water needs to be present to prevent the alcohol from evaporating off your skin. But the CDC recommends that you use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
How do I make DIY hand sanitizer?
You can make your own DIY hand sanitizer out of rubbing alcohol, aloe vera gel and optional essential oils for fragrance.
You’ll need:
2 parts isopropyl alcohol (at least 60% concentrated)
1 part aloe vera gel
A few drops of optional essential oils, such as eucalyptus, peppermint or lavender
Instructions:
Wash your hands and sanitize your work space.
Mix all ingredients with a clean spoon or whisk.
Pour into a sealable container or spray bottle.
How do I get aloe gel from an aloe plant?
If you have an aloe plant handy, you can use its natural gel for your sanitizer. To harvest the gel from the leaves:
Cut the leaf off the plant, being sure not to harm the base or root of the plant.
Remove the spiny sides of the leaf on either side.
Carefully make a horizontal slice through the top of the leaf, exposing the layer of gel.
Use a spoon to scrape the gel out of the leaf.
This gel is ready to use! But if you prefer a smoother gel, you can cut both the top and bottom parts of the leaf away from the gel, then pop that in a blender to create a smoother consistency.
How do I prevent dry skin from hand sanitizer?
The best way is to use soap and water whenever you can, since the alcohol in hand sanitizer is harsh on the skin. However, you can use a rich moisturizer after you’ve applied hand sanitizer and let it dry on your skin to help reduce dryness and irritation.
Can I use hand sanitizer on my face?
No, this is not recommended. The alcohol in hand sanitizers is harsh on delicate facial skin and can cause dryness, irritation and, in some cases, allergic reactions. Use a facial cleanser instead.
Bottom line
Gel hand sanitizers can come in handy in a pinch when you don’t have access to soap and water. While many alcohol-free options are available, the CDC recommends that you choose a product with at least 60% alcohol to be most effective at killing germs.
Gabrielle Pastorek is a staff writer at Finder, helping readers to round up the best deals, coupons, retailers, products and services to make sound financial decisions. She's written more than 800 articles on the site and is a quoted expert in Best Company and DealNews. She earned an MFA from the University of Pittsburgh, with essays and short stories published in The Collagist, Blue Monday Review, Blotterature and others. When she’s not writing, Gabrielle can be found out in the barn with her horse, Lucy.
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