Hand Sanitizer

Hello there. I bet you’ve met me before. I’m Hand Sanitizer. I’m that cool, squishy gel that lives in a little bottle, ready to jump into action. When you squeeze my bottle, whoosh, out I come. I feel a bit cold and slippery at first as you rub me all over your hands, but then I disappear like magic, leaving your hands feeling fresh and clean. Before I came along, it was tricky to clean your hands when you weren't near a sink. Imagine you just finished building a magnificent mud castle or petting a fluffy dog in the park. Your hands would be covered in dirt and who-knows-what-else. It was a real problem, especially with tiny, invisible troublemakers called germs hiding on your fingers. You can’t see them, but they can sure make you feel sick.

My story started with a wonderfully clever idea inside the mind of a kind nursing student named Lupe Hernandez. The year was 1966, a long time ago. Lupe spent her days in a busy hospital, watching doctors and nurses rush from room to room. They were like superheroes, always helping people feel better. Lupe noticed they needed to have very clean hands to keep from spreading germs, but they were so busy they couldn't always stop their important work to run to a sink and scrub with soap and water. She watched them zip and zoom down the hallways and thought, “I wish there was a way to clean hands right where you are, in just a few seconds.” That thought was my birthday wish. Lupe decided to solve the problem herself. She imagined a special gel that could fight germs without any water at all. So, she began to experiment. She found out that a liquid called alcohol was a super-powered germ fighter. It could make germs vanish. She carefully mixed the alcohol into a smooth gel that wouldn't spill and would feel nice on your hands. That amazing new gel was me. I was born to be a quick, powerful, and easy-to-use friend for all the busy helpers in the world. I was a superhero in a bottle.

At first, I lived mostly in hospitals and clinics, doing the important job Lupe had created me for. I helped keep the hands of doctors and nurses clean so they could keep their patients safe. But soon, other people heard about me and realized how helpful I could be. My adventure began to grow. I started traveling to new places. I was tucked into backpacks and sent off to school to help after arts and crafts. I was put in cars to clean up sticky fingers after a drive-thru snack. I even went on picnics to make sure hands were clean before anyone took a bite of a yummy sandwich. I became a helpful friend for everyone. My big job is to be there for you when soap and water aren't around. I zap those pesky germs and help keep you healthy. But I’ll tell you a secret, the very best way to get your hands super-duper clean is still washing them with soap and warm water. Think of me as your trusty sidekick, always ready to help keep you safe on all of life's amazing adventures.