The Cleaning Workhorse You Already Carry in Your Purse

It’s become ubiquitous. Whether it’s a tiny bottle of colored gel clipped to a teens’ backpack, or the more natural version that’s a common diaper bag companion, hand sanitizer is becoming a staple of everyone’s personal bag.

Besides its obvious purpose (don’t forget that the CDC still recommends hand-washing as the best line of defense!), you can also bust out your hand sanitizer to accomplish these little cleaning tasks, at home and on the go.

• Get hairspray off your glasses.
• Sanitize your phone or tablet.
• Clear off label residue.
• Wipe away permanent marker stains on dry erase boards, walls, and more (test the area first).
• Clean fingerprints off stainless steel.
• Sanitize makeup brushes. Rub some sanitizer into the bristles and let dry.
• Make glass surfaces shine even when you don’t have glass cleaner.
• Remove paint stains, including from brushes.
• Remove scuff marks from your shoes.

• Clean your sunglasses.
• Stop mosquito bites from itching.
• Tame flyaways in a pinch.
• Loosen sap from your fingers, should you find yourself in a sticky situation.
• Forgot your deodorant? Wipe on hand sanitizer (but not if you’ve just shaved).
• Sanitize a toilet seat in a public bathroom when there are no covers available.
• Deodorize your yoga mat.
• Treat clothing stains (make sure your hand sanitizer is clear and fragrance-free for this one).