8 Alternative Uses for Hand Sanitizer

I'll admit, I'm a bit of a germaphobe. Because of this, I have more hand sanitizer in my stockpile than my family—and two or three additional families—could actually use. Fortunately, I’ve found lots of unconventional ways to use hand sanitizer on more than just my hands!

1. Disinfect Other Objects

Use sanitizer to clean or disinfect things around your house like your keyboard and mouse. You can also use it around town! If my grocery store doesn't have any of those sanitizing wipes, I use hand sanitizer to clean the handle. I also admit to using it on those creepy, grubby high chairs and tabletops in restaurants.

2. Cell Phone Screen Shiner

I just squirt a tiny bit of hand sanitizer onto my phone screen and rub it gently with a cloth. Not only does this clean away smudges and oil, it disinfects. And trust me, your phone needs it. Just check out this article.

3. Stain Remover

When my daughter's gone a bit wild with a permanent marker or paint, I use hand sanitizer to blot out the stains. This works well on almost any surface, including white boards and clothing. However, test a small patch to make sure it doesn't damage the surface.

4. Pimple Treatment

It sounds weird, but I've actually used hand sanitizer to help clear up acne. Just dab a small amount of sanitizer on the bump with a cotton swab. The alcohol helps dry up the pimple and reduce itching and redness. Just be sure to check with your doctor or dermatologist first if acne is a big problem for you or you are using another topical acne medication.

5. Glue Remover

Tired of that sticky residue left behind from price tags or labels? Just squirt a bit of hand sanitizer on the adhesive and scrub gently with a brush or washcloth.

6. Hair Gel

Flyaways are like that annoying neighbor kid who pops up on your front porch right at dinnertime asking if your daughter can come out to play. When in a pinch, I tackle those pesky flyaways by rubbing a dab of hand sanitizer between my hands and smoothing it over my hair while the sanitizer is still wet. It's best to use nicely scented hand sanitizers in this case, like those fruity or florally concoctions at Bath & Body Works. After all, you don't want someone thinking your hair smells like a chemical-scented lemon tree.

7. Eyeglass or Sunglass Cleaner

My glasses never seem to stay clean. Maybe it's because my preschooler is always "borrowing" them from me. Rather than waste my money on special cleaners, I just rub a small amount of hand sanitizer on my glasses with my finger and wipe it away with a soft cloth.

8. Public Toilet Rescue

Public bathrooms make me cringe. But it's even worse when there are no toilet seat covers in the stall. My remedy? I squirt a bunch of hand sanitizer onto some sheets of toilet paper and scrub away at the seat. After allowing the sanitizer to evaporate, you can go about your business.