Every germaphobe will be quick to point out that hand sanitizer is their best friend. When I found out that alcohol-based hand sanitizers kill beneficial bacteria and might lead to decreased immunity, you would better believe I started looking for a new solution!

To me, that came in the form of Cleanwell hand sanitizers. Cleanwell makes natural, sustainable, alcohol-free (so kid friendly) cleansing products. Sounds good, right? But does it work as well? Their website claims:

We believe in eliminating germs safely. That’s why we developed Cleanwell, a patented formulation of essential plant oils proven in independent laboratory studies to perform as well as alcohol based products. Cleanwell products kill 99.99% of germs yet contain no harsh chemicals.

So far I have found glowing reviews all over the web, and Cleanwell is FDA- and EPA-certified to kill germs while not harming the environment or your hands. As a result, you have another way to appear better than your fellow germaphobes, which is always favorable. Even large corporations are getting on board. JetBlue, Equinox, and Carnival Cruise lines are a few of the largest to adopt these products. They will be added to the registry of Germaphobe-Approved Companies immediately.

In my use of Cleanwell, I find the spray to be very handy. Every germaphobe needs a standoff germ-killing weapon system, and this is it. I’m able to spray door knobs, keyboards, and my brothers’ face without risk of touching them. One thing you would have to like, however, is the Citrus-Herb scent. While not bad, it lasts longer than the more neutral You-Smell-That?-Smells-Like-Victory alcohol smell. But it isn’t nearly as harsh on my skin as even moisturizing hand sanitizers. This would be important if you knew what a barren desert my hands were before!

Scoring Breakdown:

• Effectiveness – 4/4
  Cleanwell is quite effective in killing as many germs as any other hand sanitizer and gets bonus points for doing it safely and non-destructively.
• Practicality – 3/4
  The spray function and the non-alcohol formula make it very practical around kids or as a long range weapon. The only minor inconveniences are the lingering scent and the fact that the bottle is a little large for a man to carry in his pocket. No problem for purses and manbags, though!
• Value – 4/4
  Cleanwell Hand Sanitizer costs roughly 3x more per ounce than a normal alcohol-based hand sanitizer. While normally this is a big deal, I have found that the sprays last quite a while as frequently as I use it (The bottle claims 4x more per ounce). Besides, $4 per bottle is not going to break the bank, especially given the added value of being a kid//environmentally-friendly product.
• Notable
  Cleanwell makes other equally recommended products like foaming hand soaps and hand-sanitizing wipes.

Overall Score – 4/4 Lymphocytes

Rating Explanation

Where to Buy:
Cleanwell products are sold at Target, Whole Foods, Bathandbodyworks.com and Amazon.com via the links below: