Everything You Can Do With Hand Sanitizer

Hand sanitizer is most commonly used to get rid of germs and other microorganisms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hand sanitizer is the best substitute for washing hands, but it needs to have the right amount of chemicals. Hand sanitizer can make it possible for you to avoid getting sick by preventing the spread of germs.

The general public should know that there are actually many uses for hand sanitizer other than keeping things sterile. These are the genius hand sanitizer hacks everyone wished they knew sooner.

You Can Clean Your Screens

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Chesnot/Getty Images

A cell phone is one of the dirtiest objects humans come into contact with every day. According to the Seattle Times, phones are typically covered in 25,127 bacteria per square inch, which is a lot of germs. Luckily, hand sanitizer is one of the best ways to clean them.

Squirting some hand sanitizer on a microfiber cloth and wiping it gently on the screen of a phone, tablet, or computer can instantly destroy almost all the germs that are lurking there. Another bright side is that it will get rid of unwanted fingerprints.

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Remove Band-Aids With Ease

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Adhesive bandages such as Band-Aids are designed to stick on your skin for as long as it takes for your wound to heal. When they're ready to come off it can be a tricky process. Often times they are so tightly stuck on there that it can hurt your skin when they're pulled off.

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Hand sanitizer is an easy way to fix this problem. Rubbing some of the hand sanitizer on the sticky ends of the bandages can help to remove them without the pain. It will also work as a great disinfectant for the wound underneath.

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Get Rid Of That Pesky Pimple

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Almost everyone experiences an embarrassing pimple or two in their lives. Numerous companies have profited off of this by offering creams, lotions, gels, and more to help people get rid of them as quickly as possible. Those looking to get rid of their acne will be delighted to know there's a fast hack that can save time and money.

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Putting hand sanitizer where you are experiencing a breakout can help clear it up. Just put a small dab on a cotton swab and apply it to the area. This will dry up the pimple and reduce redness and itching.

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Fix Your Hair In A Pinch

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It's only natural that your hair will fall out of place and not everyone carries their trusted hair care products around with them. All you'll need to put your hair back to normal is some gel-based hand sanitizer. This can act as real hair gel.

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First, squeeze some of it in your hands and rub them together lightly, so that the hand sanitizer doesn't dry up. Then, rub your hands through your hair and smooth out those pesky fly-aways. It may be best to use one that doesn't have too much of a chemical smell.

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Keep Your Makeup Brushes Fresh

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Most people don't have the luxury of buying new makeup brushes every time they apply makeup, so it's important to clean them often. This keeps people from breaking out or being exposed to the bacteria that can live on them. One helpful way to do this is with hand sanitizer.

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When you clean them, use a cleaning cloth or some tissues. Squeeze one or two pumps of hand sanitizer onto the brush itself and use the cloth or tissues to wipe off the residue. Also, this hack can be applied to other brushes such as paint or cooking brushes.

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Say Goodbye To Stains

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John Ewing/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images
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It may seem like it's the end of the world when you spill something on your clothes. Getting stains out can be very difficult, but there are some hacks that will remove them in no time. Messes can all be resolved with some hand sanitizer.

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When you notice the stain, grab enough hand sanitizer to cover the area and let it soak. Once it's soaked in, start rubbing it with a cloth or napkin. If it's not out on the first try, sometimes a round in the washing machine will do the trick.

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See Clearly Through Your Glasses

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Anyone who regularly wears glasses is probably familiar with how they seem to get smudged pretty often. When glasses aren't cleaned it can cause headaches and prevent people from seeing clearly. Some may turn to their cleaning cloths, but that doesn't always clear the glasses completely.

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In order to get your glasses feeling brand new, try cleaning them with hand sanitizer. All you need to do is rub a little bit of it on the lenses with your finger. Then, take a cleaning cloth to make sure the hand sanitizer cleans off all the smudges and dirt.

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Erase Permanent Marker From A Whiteboard

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Writing on the whiteboard with a permanent marker can seem like the biggest mistake because it takes forever to remove. It's called permanent marker for a reason, so there aren't too many ways to get it off a whiteboard made for dry-erase markers. An ordinary whiteboard eraser won't get it off, but some hand sanitizer will.

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Getting permanent marker off a whiteboard requires a dry-erase marker. You'll need to write over the parts with permanent marker and wipe both layers of marker off with hand sanitizer. It probably won't come off on the first try, so keep going until it's removed.

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Hand Sanitizer Doubles As Deodorant

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Hand sanitizer is designed to fight off bacteria and that's exactly what causes your armpits to develop an odor. There is a multitude of deodorant options including sticks, sprays, and liquid gel. Those who forget to put their deodorant on before leaving the house may feel embarrassed, but one product can stop that from happening.

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Deodorant and hand sanitizer share a similar chemical makeup, so it can be used as a substitute. A spray or gel-based hand sanitizer will work fine to cover up unwanted odors and prevent them from getting worse.

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Shine Bright Like A Diamond

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Bringing pieces of jewelry to the jeweler to get cleaned can be expensive, but there are other alternatives to keep them shining bright. Hand sanitizer works wonders with restoring jewelry back to its original sheen, but there's a catch you need to know about. Certain types of pieces can be ruined if they come into contact with hand sanitizer, so use caution.

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Anything gold or silver-plated will not be able to handle the chemicals found inside hand sanitizer, but it should work on all gemstones. This tip can also apply to other household items including dishes and furniture.

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Keep Stainless Steel Spotless

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Something that usually manages to get tons of fingerprints on its surface is stainless steel. This material is most commonly seen in kitchens with products including stoves, microwaves, and cookware. There is a special stainless steel cleaner that can make it look brand new again, but not everyone can afford to make that purchase.

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Instead, it would be a good idea to try cleaning your stainless steel products with hand sanitizer. Pour some gel-based hand sanitizer on a cloth to remove unwanted fingerprints, oil droplets, grease marks, and more.

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Hand Sanitizer Goes Great With Flat Irons

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One of the most efficient ways to style your hair, whether straight, wavy, or curly, is with a flat iron. When the heat is applied to the hair it allows it to stay in place for hours. Unfortunately, flat irons can pick up a lot of bacteria that's left in hair follicles.

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This is where hand sanitizer comes in. After the iron cools down, grab a cloth with hand sanitizer on it and clean the surface. Also, it's best to leave the flat iron off countertops because it can pick up lots of bacteria there as well.

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Protect Your Hygiene In A Public Bathroom

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It's pretty well known that public restrooms aren't the cleanest places in the world. No one knows who used the bathroom before them and how much bacteria the person might have been carrying around with them. Those who choose to use public restrooms need to bring hand sanitizer with them to protect them from all kinds of germs and viruses.

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Wiping down the toilet seats is the best way to steer clear of germs. People can squirt some of it on the seat itself and wipe it clean with some toilet paper.

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Wipe Away Sticker Residue

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Stickers or labels can be extremely tough to remove on any surface. Oftentimes they won't peel off all the way and will leave a sticky residue that can ruin the item they're stuck to. While most would turn to an adhesive remover such as Goo Gone, the quick hack to get rid of this issue may be a bit simpler.

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The residue can be removed with some hand sanitizer. All you need to do is rub some of it on the adhesive part of the sticker and scrub it away with a wet brush or cloth.

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Why You Should Keep Hand Sanitizer In Your Car

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Not everyone can afford to take their car in to get detailed, but that doesn't mean you have to leave your car collecting dirt and dust. People want to clean their cars without ruining the interior and it's not always easy knowing where to start.

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If you're doing a little touch-up to get rid of the bacteria make sure you have some hand sanitizer. Pour some onto a microfiber cloth and use it to wipe around the nooks and crannies around your car dashboard and steering wheel. It wouldn't hurt to leave some in your glove compartment, so you can use it on the go.

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Remove Hairspray That's Stuck On A Mirror

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According to Statista, over 6.45 million Americans use hairspray on a regular basis. One of the negative effects of using hairspray is that the chemicals can be sprayed past the hair and onto other surfaces in the room. When it gets stuck on places such as mirrors and cabinets it can be stressful to remove.

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Hand sanitizer can be used to get the hairspray residue off almost any surface. First, pour or spray some on a microfiber cloth or paper towel. Then, go ahead and tackle the areas where the hairspray residue accumulated. It should be gone in minutes.

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Maintain A Germ-Free Office Space

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Reader's Digest found that daily office supplies such as a keyboard and mouse can have as many germs, if not more, than a toilet seat. This is because we are constantly touching them throughout the day. It's crucial that anything that you touch regularly gets disinfected.

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A great way to get everything clean is with hand sanitizer. Before wiping everything down, make sure that all the electronics are unplugged. Then, take a microfiber cloth or some paper towels and clean every crevice with the hand sanitizer. This process should be done as often as possible.

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Remove Nail Polish With The Snap Of A Finger

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The natural process of maintaining nail polish is to remove it when it starts to chip away. While most would consider grabbing a typical bottle of nail polish remover, it may surprise some to know that it can be removed with other substances such as hand sanitizer.

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Manicurists recommend applying the hand sanitizer to the polished nails and letting it sit for a couple of minutes. When it's soaked through the polish try wiping it away with a cotton pad, cotton swab, tissue, or paper towel. Repeat the process until the nails are clear of polish.

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Polishing Silver Just Got A Whole Lot Easier

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As silver goes through wear and tear it's important to do maintenance so it's not ruined forever. When the tarnish is left it can make silver pieces look untidy, but not everyone keeps special polish in their homes. Hand sanitizer is a great alternative to keeping your silver sparkling.

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All you need to do is squirt a tiny amount on a soft cloth, preferably microfiber, and rub the tarnish off gently. The best time to do this would be after they are either cleaned by hand with dish soap or finished in the dishwasher.

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How To Get Rid Of Scuff Marks On The Walls

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When accidental scuff marks appear on the walls it can be a burden because no one wants to look at an imperfect wall. These dark spots sometimes aren't removed by normal household cleaners and this is where other alternatives need to be used.

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Hand sanitizer has the power to remove scuff marks on walls both fast and efficiently. Put some of the hand sanitizer on an ordinary cleaning cloth and wipe away any remaining dirt. It works quickly because it takes very little time to evaporate.