The 5 best single-use hand sanitizers and cleansers— for when you're on the go
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As we all know, hand sanitizer and hand cleansers have become a hot commodity since the pandemic began. After an initial drought, companies are finally replenishing stock—and many are rolling out new options to keep up with the demand.
For on-the-go, nothing beats single-use hand sanitizers and cleaners you can fit in your purse or even your pocket. Now that it’s back to school season, these wipes and gel packs can easily fit into a child’s lunchbox as an in-your-face reminder to clean their hands before eating.
Cleansing wipes are also a good option when you’re out and about. They may not be as powerful as hand sanitizer, but they can still help keep hands clean when soap and water isn’t available.
Keep in mind that effective hand sanitizer should contain at least 60% alcohol, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Those sanitizers are typically made with ethanol or isopropanol as the active ingredient. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently warned against using hand sanitizers made with methanol, a toxic substance that’s often used in antifreeze. Check the FDA’s list of hand sanitizers to avoid to be sure.
Or just choose from our handpicked list of single-use hand sanitizers and cleaners you can trust.
PreventMD Extra Clean Hydrating Gel Hand Sanitizer
Each box of PreventMD’s hand sanitizing gel contains 30 packs that are easy to grab and go. The sanitizer is made of 63% ethyl alcohol, which meets the CDC’s standards for hand sanitizer. It also contains a blend of aloe and hyaluronic acid to help your skin feel soft and moisturized—not dried out—after you sanitize. Another perk: This hand sanitizer is free of sulfates, parabens, and phthalates.
Take your handwashing on the go with Handzie’s soap and water wipes. These wipes are made with pure Castile soap, water, and essential oils for a clean feel similar to what you’d get if you washed up at a sink. The wipes are biodegradable and compostable, so you can toss them in the recycling bin when you’re done, and their compact size makes it easy to slip them into backpacks, bags, and lunch boxes.
Care Touch Hand Sanitizing Wipes
You can really load up with Care Touch’s sanitizing hand wipe mega-pack. Each box contains 110 individually wrapped wipes, created with 62% ethyl alcohol. The wipes contain no scents or fragrances, making them great for people (and kids) with sensitive skin. When you’re ready to use it, just pull out the wipe and rub it between your hands for 20 seconds, making sure to get the areas between your fingers and the backs of your hands, too. Then, you’re good to go.
Travel Lite-Hand Sanitizing Gel
These convenient little gel packs are made with 70% ethyl alcohol to kill 99.9% of germs. Each single use packet contains aloe and other botanical extracts to help soothe and moisturize skin, while delivering the germ-fighting power you need. Their small, slim size makes them great for just about any size lunch box, along with bags and pockets. You’ll get 100 packets per box, allowing you to stock up for weeks in advance.
For those times when you know you’ll have access to water, but aren’t so sure about soap availability, there are these Fomin hand soap sheets. Each little sheet is made up of antibacterial soap that foams into a lather when it comes into contact with water. It’s naturally moisturizing, so your hands won’t feel dry in the aftermath, and the boxes are about the size of a pack of gum, making it easy to stash them in your pocket or bag. This pack comes in three yummy scents: lavender, sweet orange, and tea tree.
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