*Cleans & Moisturizes

1. Macinga et al. Efficacy of novel alcohol-based hand rub products at typical in-use volumes. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2013;34:299-301. ADX™ and LTX™ Dispenser fully primed through 95% of refill.

2. ASTM E1174/HCPHW #110238-101, April 25, 2011, BioScience Laboratories, Bozeman, MT. Healthcare Personnel Handwash Study #121008-101, December 27, 2012, BioScience Laboratories, Bozeman, MT.

3. Nielsen Sales 52wk ending 01/04/20.

4. NPN 80047004. PURELL Advanced Hand Rub gel formulation.

5. FDA - Safely Using Hand Sanitizer. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/safely-using-hand-sanitizer

6: Health Canada - Hand Sanitizers and Children's Safety: What you need to know. https://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2020/73883a-eng.php

OUR INGREDIENTS

The Right Ingredients are the Foundation of PURELL® Advanced Hand Sanitizer

As the inventors of hand sanitizer, we have been leading the world to a new way of keeping hands clean since 1988. Everything we have done and continue to do is rooted in science and innovation.

That’s why our scientists have strict requirements for our ingredients and select them specifically so that the formulation is perfectly balanced for efficacy and skin health, which means you can be confident you’ve made the right choice.

You Can Count On Us

Antimicrobial Efficacy
Antimicrobial Efficacy

Skin Health
Skin Health

Touch and Feel
Touch and Feel

Not all hand sanitizers are the same. Formulation impacts both performance and user experience, two things that are vital for a trusted, quality hand sanitizer. Each ingredient must work in harmony with the others, ensuring the hand sanitizer not only kills germs, but also maintains or improves skin health, and delivers an impression that is pleasing to the senses. (No one wants a sticky, smelly hand sanitizer.)

These are the things PURELL® hand sanitizers have been meticulously formulated to do from the beginning. PURELL Advanced Hand Sanitizer exceeds FDA healthcare personnel hand wash requirements with just 1.1 milliliters of product,1 as it maximizes the effectiveness of alcohol so that our hand sanitizers work more effectively to kill germs and maintain skin health.

The same formulations that doctors trust to kill 99.99% of germs2, can be used safely in homes by everyone, including those who are pregnant and children (although you should always supervise children younger than 6).

What Sets America's #1 Hand Sanitizer3 Apart


70% Ethyl Alcohol

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol when soap and water are not available. We’ve exceeded those requirements to offer better efficacy – our products work harder to kill the most germs. The active ingredient in our hand sanitizers is 70% ethyl alcohol which kills 99.99% of germs that may cause illness4. We source from suppliers who offer ethyl alcohol at the high quality necessary for over-the-counter drug products. Most of the ethyl alcohol used in our PURELL® products is plant derived.


An Optimal Experience

If active ingredients were all it took to make hand sanitizer, we could just rub ethyl alcohol on our hands and call it a day. But the PURELL® brand knows it’s not enough to just get rid of germs – we also have to take care of hands. That’s where our carefully selected inactive ingredients come in to play. Research shows the effectiveness of non-alcohol hand sanitizer varieties can be negatively impacted by the addition of ingredients like fragrances and skin conditioners.5,6 But alcohol-based formulations, like PURELL® hand sanitizers, are less sensitive to such additions. Our inactive ingredients complement the ethyl alcohol base to ensure an optimal, balanced experience that maintains effectiveness.


Inactive Ingredients that Help Maintain Skin Health

A well-formulated product kills germs on your hands that may cause illness and evaporates quickly, while leaving moisturizers behind to nourish the skin. PURELL® hand sanitizers have been developed for use in high-frequency settings and maintain or improve skin’s condition. As a leave-on product, hand sanitizer shouldn’t remove skin lipids (which strengthen the protective barrier of skin and keeps it soft) even with repeated use. Removing skin lipids can leave skin feeling dry and looking dull. PURELL® hand sanitizers do not remove skin lipids.


It’s Pleasing to Use

In addition to its overall germ-kill, we also recognize the unique sensory experience of hand sanitizer. Every aspect of its use is important. How it pumps, how it feels and smells, and how it makes hands feel afterward are all concepts we consider when developing formulas.


Denaturants to Deter Misuse

PURELL® Advanced Hand Sanitizer contains denaturants, which are unpleasant-tasting ingredients that make the products undesirable to drink. According to the FDA, young children, especially toddlers, may be attracted by the pleasant smell or brightly colored bottles of hand sanitizer5. Using denaturants helps ensure hand sanitizer is not accidentally consumed or ingested.

Cradle to Cradle Certified™

Many of our PURELL hand sanitizers and PURELL® HEALTHY SOAP™* with CLEAN RELEASE™ Technology products have achieved Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Gold, and we have achieved Platinum level in the Material Health category. The third-party review, and the high performance of our PURELL products, validates that we choose safe ingredients. The Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Products Program is the world's most advanced standard for safe, circular, and responsible materials and products.

See our Cradle to Cradle Certified™ product portfolio