We did our research to find answers to some of these common questions surrounding the ultra-convenient germ-fighter. Here’s the good news: You don’t have to quit your habit of using hand sanitizer altogether—you just have to know the right way to use it. The CDC recommends washing your hands for at least 15 seconds to ensure all areas of your hands get a thorough clean. Just make sure you are just as thorough when applying hand sanitizer as you should be when using soap and water: The thumbs, fingertips, and between the fingers are commonly missed spots in hand sanitizer application, according to the CDC. RELATED: You’ve Probably Been Washing Your Hands Wrong—Here’s the Right Way to Do It (and Avoid Getting Sick) “Alcohol-based hand sanitizers work by denaturing the proteins of germs, which kills them,” Wiksten says. Hand sanitizers that contain at least 60 to 95 percent alcohol are said to be most effective at warding off germs. According to the CDC, hand sanitizers without this amount of alcohol content may either be ineffective on many types of germs or simply work to reduce the growth of germs, rather than kill them.
