Organic Hand Sanitizers

Susanna Cellucci

Susanna Cellucci

Updated Oct 15, 2026

CDC recommends: ​If soap and water are not readily available and hands are not visibly dirty, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. However, if hands are visibly dirty, always wash hands with soap and water.

  • Apply the gel product to the palm of one hand (read the label to learn the correct amount).
  • Rub your hands together.
  • Rub the gel over all the surfaces of your hands and fingers until your hands are dry. This should take around 20 seconds.
  • Conventional Hand Sanitizers

Avoid Conventional Hand Sanitizers that can contain unnecessary ingredients, have uncertain safety data, and potentially dangerous contents. According to CNN some of them may even contain fatal ingredients. 

  • ❌ Common brand hand sanitizers contain skin, eye, and respiratory irritants, and are allergy-causing. ​​​ ​ ​ 😷
  • The best-selling hand sanitizer at Target contains concerning ingredients rated high for allergy & immunotoxicity according to ewe.org, starting with fragrance (allergy, endocrine disruptor, non-reproductive organic toxicity), tocopheryl acetate (cancer-allergy), aminomethyl propanol (skin eyes, a lung irritant, contamination concern), colorants blue and yellow (toxic). ​
  • ❌ According to the 2-minute team, 99% of conventional gel-based hand sanitizers are likely to contain microplastic or ingredients that harm the environment: listed as Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer.
  • ❌ Denatonium benzoate, silicone, and propylene glycol
  • ​❌ Methyl: Methanol, Wood alcohol
  • ❌ 1-Propyl: 1-Propanol
  • ​

❌ Methanol and 1-Propanol Alcohol Are Toxic

There are many types of alcohol. Only ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol (also known as 2-propanol) are acceptable alcohols in hand sanitizer. Other types of alcohol, including methanol and 1-propanol, are not acceptable in hand sanitizer because they can be toxic to humans. Recent FDA safety testing discovered some hand sanitizers contaminated with these potentially toxic types of alcohol.

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Why do some manufacturers choose such compromising ingredients? Because they are cheap.​

Remember that Triclosan hand sanitizers are banned since Triclosan reacts with free chlorine to produce chloroform, a toxic chemical and probable carcinogen. It is also linked to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance and is an ecosystem disruptor.

FDA’s previous determination that 28 active ingredients, including triclosan and benzethonium chloride, are not eligible for evaluation under the FDA’s OTC Drug Review for use in consumer antiseptic rubs…At this time, three active ingredients—benzalkonium chloride, ethyl alcohol, and isopropyl alcohol—are being deferred from further rulemaking to allow for the ongoing study.

Greenwashing Hand Sanitizers 

Avoid greenwashing hand sanitizers made by brands that pretend to be organic, natural, or safee when they are not. They will use their misleading marketing tricks to convince you to buy their products. 

  • ❌  Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) is a cationic surfactant. It can cause redness, tearing, stinging, or burning in the eyes, and in more severe cases, conjunctivitis or corneal damage. It can cause irritation or toxicity to the skin and the respiratory tract in higher concentrations or prolonged exposure. 
  • ❌ Denatured alcohol in hand sanitizers: It is Alcohol with additives to make it taste bad, rendering it undrinkable. (By the way, ethanol alcohol is not to be confused with isopropyl alcohol, which is already undrinkable.) Denatured grain alcohol is not standardly approved due to toxic additives like methanol, which pose ingestion and absorption risks—FDA limits it to specific emergency formulas only
  • But. Not all denaturants are created equal. In fact, there are dozens of inexpensive, highly toxic denaturants — and the challenge for companies who want to be fully transparent is that the FDA doesn’t allow manufacturers to list alcohol denaturants in the ingredients. 

Organic Hand Sanitizers

There are organic, natural, and eco-friendly hand sanitizers that have better, safer inactive ingredients, besides the active ingredient of at least 60% alcohol, as the CDC recommends. 🌱🌿

✅ USDA Certified Organic: Look for USDA Certified Organic hand sanitizers since they are made with at least 95% organic ingredients. Look for inactive ingredients such as glycerin, lavender oil, water, eucalyptus, tea tree oil, and aloe vera.🍋🍃🌿🌱🌾🍊

Ethanol (ethyl alcohol) and isopropyl alcohol are the safest and FDA-approved for hand sanitizers.

​​

  • ✅ Ethanol (ethyl alcohol): Preferred for sanitizers; non-irritating on intact skin, evaporates quickly, and safe when used topically as directed.

  • ✅ Isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol): Effective alternative at 75%+; slightly more drying but still safe for skin—avoid if you have sensitive skin

​​The Best Organic Hand Sanitizer Brands

​​​Here you will find the best Organic Hand Sanitizers on the market.My number one organic hand sanitizer brand recommendations are:

 

  • 🌿 Poofy Organics  10% off code: PRETTYORGANICGIRL
  • 🌿 Esas   20% off code: PRETTYORGANICGIRL
  • 🌿 Wellnesse  15% off code: PRETTYORGANICGIRL
  • 🌿 Biom 15% off code: SAVEMORE Organic Hand Sanitizing Wipes
  • 🌿 WishGarden Herbs  15% off code: PRETTYORGANICGIRL

 

Shop with my links to support my research!💖

disinfectant wipes laundry all purpose gloves hand soap
ESAS organic perfume logo

20% off code: PRETTYORGANICGIRL

Poofy Organics Logo

10% off code: PRETTYORGANICGIRL

Wellnesse logo

15% off code: PRETTYORGANICGIRL

Biom Wipes logo

15% off code: SAVEMORE

WishGarden Herbs Logo

15% off code: PRETTYORGANICGIRL

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