Start with the Drug Facts panel. Hand sanitizer is an FDA-regulated nonprescription drug, so the back of the bottle lists its active ingredient, purpose, use, warnings, and directions in a standard format. The front may say "advanced," "refreshing," or "with aloe," but the panel tells you which active ingredient the product uses and at what concentration.

Signature SELECT Hand Sanitizer

Find the Active Ingredient and Percentage

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers use ethyl alcohol (listed as ethanol or simply alcohol) or isopropyl alcohol. The number beside the ingredient is its concentration in the product.

The CDC recommends a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol when soap and water aren't available. CDC and FDA guidance says products below that level may not work equally well against many types of germs and may reduce their growth rather than killing them outright.

Read the ingredient name and percentage together. A large number on the front of a bottle doesn't replace the Drug Facts panel, and words such as "advanced" or "with aloe" don't tell you the alcohol concentration.

What Alcohol-Free Means

An alcohol-free sanitizer commonly uses benzalkonium chloride, sometimes shortened to BZK or BAC, as its active ingredient. It belongs to a different class of antiseptic, so the front label and Drug Facts panel won't look the same as those on an alcohol-based product.

The CDC and FDA recommend alcohol-based sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol as the preferred option when handwashing isn't available. The FDA has deferred a final determination that benzalkonium chloride is generally recognized as safe and effective for consumer hand sanitizer while more data is gathered.

Alcohol-free products remain available for shoppers who prefer them. The active ingredient line is what you should check to see which type you're buying.

Methanol and the 2020 Recalls

In 2020, the FDA warned consumers about specific hand sanitizers contaminated with methanol or 1-propanol. Methanol, also called wood alcohol, is toxic when absorbed through the skin or swallowed. Neither methanol nor 1-propanol is a valid active ingredient for hand sanitizer.

The FDA's testing found that some products labeled as ethanol contained one of those contaminants, and its do-not-use list grew to hundreds of named products. Because those substances weren't always declared on the label, reading Drug Facts couldn't identify every contaminated bottle. The FDA still maintains that do-not-use list online, and checking a specific product there is the way to confirm whether it was recalled. The recalls named specific products and manufacturers, concentrated in 2020.

What "Kills 99.9% of Germs" Means

"Kills 99.9% of germs" is a manufacturer's claim based on laboratory testing against selected organisms under defined conditions. The test uses a set amount, full coverage, and a specific contact time. It isn't a promise that the product handles every germ or works the same way on dirty hands.

The CDC says soap and water is more effective against certain germs, including norovirus, Cryptosporidium, and C. difficile. Sanitizer also doesn't remove pesticides, heavy metals, or other chemicals from hands, and dirt or grease can prevent it from making full contact with the skin.

When to Use Sanitizer and When to Wash

The CDC prefers washing with soap and water in community settings because washing removes more types of germs along with chemicals and dirt. When a sink isn't available, the agency recommends an alcohol-based sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.

Use soap and water on visibly dirty or greasy hands, including after gardening, handling food, fishing, camping, or outdoor play. For sanitizer, the CDC says to apply enough product to cover all surfaces of both hands, then rub them together until dry. That takes about 20 seconds.

Don't wipe or rinse the sanitizer off before it dries. The FDA also advises keeping alcohol-based sanitizer away from open flame until your hands are fully dry because the product is flammable while wet.

Gel, Foam, Spray, and Wipes

The format changes how sanitizer spreads and how easily it travels with you. It doesn't replace the active-ingredient check.

Hand-sanitizing wipes are made for skin. Household disinfecting wipes are surface products and shouldn't be used on hands unless their label specifically gives that direction.

Signature SELECT Hand Sanitizer Wipes

Check the wipes' Drug Facts panel rather than assuming they use the same active ingredient as a gel from the same brand.

Shopping for Hand Sanitizer at Safeway

Once you've read the active ingredient and percentage, choose a format and size that fit where you'll keep it. A small bottle can travel in a bag, while a larger pump may stay at home or by a workplace entrance. One reviewer of the store-brand travel size, headed "Travel size hand sanitizer," writes it's "so convenient for on the go."

One reviewer of the store-brand gel notes it "does not leave my hands feeling sticky or tacky."

Signature SELECT, Safeway's store brand, carries hand sanitizer in several gel sizes and as wipes. Some gels include aloe, which can change how the formula feels on the skin without changing the need to check the active ingredient and percentage.

Signature SELECT Hand Sanitizer with Aloe

One reviewer of the store-brand aloe version, headed "soothing aloe," writes that "hands stay soft" and the product "is hydrating, not drying."

Purell is a national brand carried on the same shelf. "Advanced" and "refreshing" are marketing words. The Drug Facts panel supplies the active ingredient and concentration.

Purell Advanced Refreshing Hand Sanitizer

Sizes and availability vary by store.

Common Questions

What percentage of alcohol should hand sanitizer have?

At least 60%, per the CDC, for the times a sink isn't an option. The Active ingredient line gives you the alcohol type and the number. Words on the front of the bottle don't replace that check.

Is alcohol-free hand sanitizer the same as alcohol-based?

No. Alcohol-free products usually rely on benzalkonium chloride, a different antiseptic class. The agencies prefer an alcohol product at 60% or higher, and the FDA is still gathering data on benzalkonium chloride before making a final determination.

Does hand sanitizer replace washing your hands?

No. The CDC prefers soap and water because washing removes more kinds of germs, chemicals, dirt, and grease. Sanitizer is the alternative when a sink isn't available, and the CDC advises against using it on visibly dirty hands.

What does "kills 99.9% of germs" mean?

It's the manufacturer's result from tests against selected organisms under controlled conditions. The claim doesn't cover every germ or chemical, and the CDC identifies situations where washing works better.

Which alcohols are used in hand sanitizer?

Alcohol-based hand sanitizer uses ethyl alcohol, also called ethanol, or isopropyl alcohol. The FDA says methanol and 1-propanol aren't valid sanitizer actives and identified them as contaminants in specific products during the 2020 recalls.

Does aloe make sanitizer more effective?

No. Aloe changes how the gel feels on your skin. What the sanitizer does comes from the active ingredient and its concentration, both listed in Drug Facts.