Hand sanitizer is an extremely useful liquid used to easily clean the hands and reduce the chance of infection. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are often preferable in many situations over other ways of cleaning the hands. For example they are used a lot in healthcare settings. This is because they are extremely effective at killing contamination and small organisms. Since hand sanitizers are so common, it might come as a surprise to learn that they are actually a relatively recent invention.
Hand Sanitizer History
Alcohol has been used to reduce the chance of infection for hundreds of years. Realizing the ability alcohol had to clean the hands, a student nurse by the name of Lupe Hernandez came up with the idea of delivering alcohol through a gel. Lupe Hernandez invented hand sanitizers in 1966.
The rest is history. Hand sanitizers have since exploded in popularity and are seen in hospitals worldwide. You also commonly see them in schools, offices, and other public buildings. Nowadays there are even alcohol-free hand sanitizer products.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_sanitizer
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/may/13/do-we-really-need-hand-sanitisers