Soap and water remove certain germs that hand sanitizers don’t kill, including germs that cause diarrhea such as norovirus, Cryptosporidium, and Clostridioides difficile.
Soap and water also remove harmful chemicals like pesticides and heavy metals.
Which is better, hand sanitizer or handwashing?
Washing hands with soap and water is the best way to remove all types of germs and chemicals. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
See CDC’s recommendations on when to use hand sanitizers and when to wash your hands.
How do hand sanitizers work differently than handwashing?
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers work by killing germs on your hands, while washing your hands with soap and water removes germs from your hands. Handwashing will remove all types of germs from your hands, but hand sanitizers are not able to kill all types of germs or remove harmful chemicals like pesticides and heavy metals.
Do wipes remove germs?
Hand sanitizing wipes with at least 60% alcohol kill germs on your hands.
Baby wipes are not designed to remove germs from your hands, and CDC does not recommend using them to clean your hands. They may make your hands look clean, but baby wipes and similar products that do not have at least 60% alcohol do not reliably remove germs from your hands.
Disinfecting wipes are designed to kill germs on surfaces. Do not use disinfecting wipes to clean your skin because they may cause irritation. Always read and follow the directions on the label to use these products safely.
What if I have a hand sanitizer that has no alcohol?
Hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol have been shown to be effective against a wider range of germs than hand sanitizers that do not contain alcohol, including those that contain active ingredients such as benzalkonium chloride (BZK). CDC recommends the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers when soap and water are not available for handwashing.
What is the difference between CDC guidelines and FDA regulations for hand sanitizer use?
Hand sanitizer is regulated as an over-the-counter drug by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FDA regulates the production and manufacture of hand sanitizing products and determines which ingredients are allowed to be used in them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) develops recommendations about hand hygiene to prevent the spread of diseases in both community and healthcare settings, based on peer-reviewed data and scientific studies.
Should I make my own hand sanitizer?
CDC does not regulate hand sanitizer production. However, CDC does not recommend producing, using, or selling homemade hand sanitizer products because of concerns over the correct use of the ingredients and the need to work under sterile conditions to make the product. Handwashing with soap and water is the best way to get rid of germs in most situations.
FDA reports that if made incorrectly, hand sanitizer can be ineffective or harmful. There have been accounts of skin burns from homemade hand sanitizers and serious health problems caused by hand sanitizers contaminated with methanol . To be effective at killing some types of germs, hand sanitizers need to have a strength of at least 60% alcohol and be used when hands are not visibly dirty or greasy. Do not rely on “do-it-yourself” (or “DIY”) hand sanitizer recipes based solely on essential oils or formulated without correct compounding practices.
