How to use hand sanitizer correctly
Put a full palm of sanitizer (about 2 to 3 ml) into one cupped hand, rub it over every surface of both hands, including thumbs, fingertips and between the fingers, and keep rubbing until your hands are completely dry, which takes 20 to 30 seconds. Do not wipe it off.
Last reviewed by the SANITIZER.PK team
Quick answer
- Use enough to keep hands wet for 20 to 30 seconds: usually one palmful, about 2 to 3 ml.
- Cover palms, backs of hands, between fingers, thumbs and fingertips.
- Rub until dry. Wiping or rinsing it off stops it from working.
- Use soap and water instead when hands are visibly dirty or greasy, after the toilet and before handling food.
The six steps
Check your hands
If there is visible dirt, grease, food or blood on your hands, wash with soap and water instead. Sanitizer does not clean dirt away and works poorly on soiled hands.
Apply a full palm
Pump or pour enough sanitizer to fill a cupped palm, about 2 to 3 ml. Too little dries in a few seconds and misses parts of the hand.
Rub palm to palm, then the backs
Rub palms together, then rub the right palm over the back of the left hand with fingers interlaced, and swap.
Clean between the fingers and the thumbs
Rub palm to palm with fingers interlaced, then rotate each thumb inside the other closed hand. Thumbs are the most commonly missed area.
Do the fingertips
Rub the fingertips of each hand in circles against the opposite palm. Fingertips touch the most surfaces.
Keep rubbing until dry
Continue until your hands feel completely dry, 20 to 30 seconds. Do not touch food, flames or electrical switches until then: the alcohol is flammable while wet.
When should I use sanitizer and when should I wash?
| Situation | Best choice |
|---|---|
| After using the toilet | Soap and water |
| Before cooking, eating or feeding a child | Soap and water |
| Hands visibly dirty, greasy or after gardening | Soap and water |
| After handling chemicals such as pesticides | Soap and water (sanitizer does not remove chemicals) |
| After touching shared surfaces in an office, bus or shop | Hand sanitizer |
| Before and after visiting a patient | Hand sanitizer (or soap and water if hands are soiled) |
| No sink available, hands look clean | Hand sanitizer |
Common mistakes
- Using a few drops: the most common error. If your hands are dry in under 10 seconds, you used too little.
- Wiping hands on clothes or a tissue straight away.
- Missing thumbs, fingertips and the backs of hands.
- Using a sanitizer without the alcohol percentage on the label, which may not contain enough alcohol to work.
- Using sanitizer near a flame, such as lighting a stove or cigarette before hands are dry.
Will frequent use dry my skin?
Well-made sanitizers contain a moisturiser such as glycerol, and the WHO hand rub formulations include it for that reason. Dryness and cracking more often come from frequent washing with hot water and harsh soap. Use a hand cream at the end of the day, and if you get a rash or burning, stop using that product and see a doctor or pharmacist.
Children and sanitizer
Supervise children under six when they use sanitizer, and keep bottles out of their reach. Swallowing alcohol-based sanitizer can cause alcohol poisoning in a small child. If a child swallows sanitizer, get medical help at once.
Sources and standards referred to
- World Health Organization, Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care (hand rub technique and duration).
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), guidance on hand sanitizer use.
This guide is general information about hygiene products, not medical advice. For a health condition, speak to a doctor or pharmacist.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I rub hand sanitizer?
Rub for 20 to 30 seconds, until your hands are completely dry. The WHO hand rub technique takes this long when enough product is used.
Should I wash my hands after using sanitizer?
No. Let it dry on the skin. Washing or wiping straight away removes it before it has finished working.
Can I use hand sanitizer on my face?
No. Hand sanitizer is for hands only. Keep it away from eyes, mouth and broken skin.
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