A hand sanitizer, also known as a healthcare personnel hand wash or a hand antiseptic according to the latest FDA definition, is used as a supplement or alternative to hand washing with soap and water. The active ingredient in hand sanitizers may be isopropanol, ethanol, or (in Europe) n-propanol. A variety of preparations are available, including gels, foam and liquid solutions.

Hand sanitizers containing alcohol are more effective at killing germs than soaps and do not dry out hands as much as soaps. Inactive ingredients in alcohol rubs typically include a thickening agent such as Carbomer (a trade name for polyacrylic acid) for alcohol gels, humectants such as glycerin for liquid rubs and propylene glycol, or essential oils of plants. Popular alcohol rub brands include Baccide, Purell, Germ-X, Aqium, Avant, GermOut, and Aquawet.

Lysol, and Method Products also produce popular alcohol-based hand sanitizers. In recent years, some brands started combining alcohol rubs with natural products and essential oils to provide luxury lines for the growing skin care industry. Such brands include Burt's Bees, EO, Frais, Jao and The Body Shop.

Some hand sanitizer products use agents other than alcohol, such as triclosan or benzalkonium chloride, to kill germs. However, one un-collaborated laboratory study has shown benzalkonium chloride may be associated with but not cause antibiotic resistance in MRSA. No mechanism for resistance to alcohol has been described in bacteria.

Triclosan has been shown to accumulate in biosolids in the environment, one of the top seven organic contaminants in waste water according to the National Toxicology Program Triclosan leads to various problems with natural biological systems , and triclosan, when combined with chlorine e.g. from tap water, produces chloroform, a probable carcinogen in humans. In June, 2009, alcohol-free Clarcon Antimicrobial Hand Sanitizer was pulled from the US market by the FDA which found the product contained high levels of various bacteria, including those which can "cause opportunistic infections of the skin and underlying tissues and could result in medical or surgical attention as well as permanent damage". In the past, alcohol-free hand sanitizers tended to significantly under-perform alcohol or alcohol rubs as germ killers in clinical studies using standard protocols such as EN1500.

More recently, advanced formulations have been developed, some of which have been shown to out-perform alcohol. However, Purell (but not other alcohol based sanitizers) has been previously shown to fail to meet the FDA 21 CFR 333.470 performance standards for health-care personnel antiseptic hand washes not just as a consequence of the decrease in effectiveness with repeated use, but also due to a lack of persistence in antimicrobial activity after application and the decrease in effectiveness with heavy soil loads.

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