Liquid vs Gel Hand Sanitizer

Hand sanitizers have been present in our daily lives for decades now, but the global pandemic has forced them into the forefront of our consciousness; with most of us using some form of hand sanitizer dozens of times a day.  There a few options available, including liquid hand sanitizer and gel hand sanitizer. Medical professionals and first responders often sanitize their hands hundreds of times a day.  In fact, I recently went for my flu shot, and the pharmacist was applying sanitizer before and after each shot.  If they are doing 10 shots/hour, that is 160 applications per workday in addition to any they might do in the course of their personal life.  That’s a lot.

With so much use, picking the best hand sanitizer for your needs has become essential to good health, but also to comfort as we deal with questions of application, lingering odors, residue, and chapping.

I have become a big fan of liquid hand sanitizer – specifically the GoKlean Hand Sanitizer - over gel for a variety of reasons, so I want to detail some of those here.

Let me start by saying that not all liquid hand sanitizers are created equal.  I’ve had very unpleasant experiences with some over the last 18 months that had very strong and (more importantly) lasting odors – some even smelled like tequila.  That’s great if you’re out with friends for margaritas, but not great when applying to your 6-year-old on their way into school. I also had a memorable experience in a big box store with a hand sanitizer that left such a bad residue that I had to ask someone in the meat department for a paper towel to remove it.  

With that out of the way, let’s discuss the benefits.

No Added Fragrance

Ethanol-based liquid hand sanitizers, made correctly without added fragrance, will have a mild alcohol smell from the plant-based ethanol that dissipates upon drying.  There is no lasting fragrance or odor.

No Lasting Residue

While a small amount of glycerin is added to the formula as an emollient to condition the skin against the harshness of the alcohol, liquid sanitizers leave no lasting residue on your hands.  One customer – a pharmacist who uses it in his Flu clinic – said that he can use it all day without feeling that he has to rush to the sink every 30 minutes to wash off the residue.  Lack of residue and fast drying are also beneficial when donning gloves after application.  That brings me to…

Fast drying

Liquid sanitizers dry faster than gel, getting you back to your activities or tasks faster.  And faster drying helps reduce chapping from repeated use.  We like the fast drying when using with our kids – they want to get right back to what they were doing (usually eating), so fast drying reduces the likelihood that they will put hands still wet with hand sanitizer in their mouths or on their food.

Better coverage

The liquid provides better coverage, reaching hard to access areas where germs like to hide such as nail beds and cuticles.

Use less and more application options

Liquid sanitizers require less product to effectively kill germs.  It can be squeezed or pumped from a bottle, dispensed from a misting dispenser, or simply added to a small spray bottle for on-the-go.  Our family carries a 4-ounce bottle in every bag we use and vehicle we own!  A few drips on the hands and a thorough rub and we are good to go!  For convenience and safety with our kids we pour our hand sanitizer into small spray bottles (labeled of course) to encourage them to use a measured amount and prevent spills - even our two-year-old can confidently "hanitizer" her hands! 

Article provided by Rich Benet

Do you have more questions about GoKlean?

GoKlean liquid hand sanitizer allows for controlled amounts with each application.