We can help stop the spread of COVID-19 by washing our hands regularly with soap and water for 20 seconds – especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing our nose. If soap and water are not available, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend using alcohol-based hand sanitizers containing at least 60% alcohol to help you avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others.

Rub the hand sanitizer all over your hands, making sure to get between your fingers and on the back of your hands. Do not wipe or rinse off the hand sanitizer before it is dry. Do not use hand sanitizer if your hands are visibly dirty or greasy; wash your hands with soap and water instead.

If you use alcohol-based hand sanitizers, keep these safety tips in mind.

Hand sanitizers are regulated as over-the-counter (non-prescription) drugs by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. If you use alcohol-based hand sanitizers, read and follow the Drug Facts label, particularly the warnings section.

Store hand sanitizer out of the reach of pets and children, and kids should use it only with adult supervision. Call your doctor or the Poison Help Line at 1-800-222-1222 if you experience a serious reaction to hand sanitizer.

Be especially careful not to get hand sanitizer in your eyes because it can cause burning and damage to the surface of the eye. Watch young children around dispensers containing hand sanitizer, which are often mounted at eye level and can splash.

If you get hand sanitizer in your eyes, rinse your eyes thoroughly with water as soon as possible, and call a health care provider or poison control center. 

If you are using hand sanitizer in a closed area, such as a car, open the windows to improve ventilation until the hand sanitizer is dry.

Do not drink hand sanitizer. This is particularly important for young children, especially toddlers, who may be attracted by the pleasant smell or brightly colored bottles of hand sanitizer. Drinking even a small amount of hand sanitizer can cause alcohol poisoning in children. (But there is no need to be concerned if your children eat with or lick their hands after using hand sanitizer.) 

During this coronavirus pandemic, poison control centers have had an increase in calls about accidental ingestion of hand sanitizer, so it is important that adults monitor young children’s use.

Beware of alcohol-based hand sanitizers that are packaged in containers that may appear as food or drinks, and of those that contain food flavors or fragrances. The FDA has discovered that some hand sanitizers are being packaged in children’s food pouches, water bottles, and adult beverage bottles, such as beer cans, and liquor and wine bottles.

We also found hand sanitizers that contain food flavors or fragrances, such as chocolate or raspberry. Eating or drinking these products can cause serious injury or death.

Do not allow pets to swallow hand sanitizer. If you think your pet has eaten something potentially dangerous, call your veterinarian or a pet poison control center right away.

Keep hand sanitizer away from heat and flames. When using hand sanitizer, rub your hands until they feel completely dry before performing activities that may involve heat, sparks, static electricity, or open flames.

The FDA discovered serious safety concerns with some hand sanitizers during testing. This includes some hand sanitizers:

• contaminated with potentially toxic types of alcohol
• that do not contain enough active ingredient (ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol)
• with labels containing false, misleading, or unproven claims

Before you buy hand sanitizer or use hand sanitizer you have at home, check the FDA’s do-not-use list at www.fda.gov/handsanitizerlist. We update the list regularly as new information is released.

Health care professionals and patients are encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of these products to the FDA’s MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting program:

• Complete and submit the report online.
• Download the form or call 1-800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the form or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178.

The FDA doesn’t recommend that consumers make their own hand sanitizer. If made incorrectly, hand sanitizer can be ineffective – or worse. For example, there have been reports of skin burns from homemade hand sanitizer.

Also, adding alcohol to non-alcohol hand sanitizer is unlikely to result in an effective product. And using disinfectant sprays or wipes on your skin may cause skin and eye irritation. Disinfectant sprays and wipes are intended to clean surfaces, not people or animals.

Hand sanitizers are a convenient alternative when handwashing with soap and water isn’t possible. You can help protect yourself and your family from coronavirus with simple hygiene.

• FDA is warning that getting alcohol-based hand sanitizer in the eyes can result in serious injury, including severe irritation and damage to the surface of the eye.
• Do not use alcohol-based hand sanitizers in or near your eyes. After applying alcohol-based hand sanitizer to your hands, avoid touching your eyes.
• Adults should always supervise young children, particularly those younger than 6 years old, using alcohol-based hand sanitizers, especially around dispensers containing these hand sanitizers, which often are located at children’s eye level and can splash.
• If alcohol-based hand sanitizer accidentally splashes or gets in your eyes or those of a child, immediately and thoroughly rinse them under gently running water such as from a sink tap, water bottle, or emergency shower for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Do not delay in rinsing the eyes, as immediate rinsing is the most important thing you can do to reduce the risk of serious eye injury.
• After rinsing, if symptoms such as redness, pain, irritation, visual impairment, blurred vision, or light sensitivity persist, seek an urgent eye exam.
• The best way to prevent the spread of infections and decrease the risk of getting sick is by washing your hands frequently with plain soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Store hand sanitizers and all other over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medicines up and away and out of children’s reach and sight. Youngsters, especially toddlers, may be attracted by the pleasant smell or brightly colored solutions, bottles, pouches, or other containers that contain hand sanitizer.
• Do not drink alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Drinking even a small amount can cause alcohol poisoning in children, while larger amounts may be toxic in older children and adults.
• Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer in a well-ventilated area. When using it in an enclosed area such as a car, open a window to improve ventilation until the hand sanitizer is dry and the vapors have cleared.
• Some hand sanitizers may contain or be contaminated with harmful ingredients. Before you buy or use hand sanitizer, check FDA’s “do-not-use” list.
• Store alcohol-based hand sanitizer away from heat and flames because it contains alcohol, which is flammable. When using alcohol-based hand sanitizer, rub your hands until they feel completely dry and allow the vapors to clear before performing activities that may involve heat, sparks, static electricity, or open flames.
• To help FDA track safety issues with medicines, report side effects from alcohol-based hand sanitizers or other medicines to the FDA MedWatch program, using the information in the "Contact FDA" box at the bottom of this page.