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Hand Sanitizers

Medium Risk

Also known as:

Germ X® Purell® Rubbermaid® Suave® Wet Ones™

A woman pumps hand sanitizer onto her outstretched hand.
Possible Symptoms
  • Unpleasant taste
  • stomach upset
  • nausea and vomiting
  • eye irritation
What to Do
  1. Wipe or rinse out the mouth.
  2. Give a serving size of water to drink.
  3. Rinse any exposed skin with lukewarm water.
  4. Call 1-800-222-1222 for additional instructions.
If Exposed to Eyes
  1. Start rinsing eye(s) with lukewarm water.
  2. Call the Missouri Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 for further recommendations.

Important

Hand sanitizer is sometimes abused by people in place of an alcoholic beverage. If this has happened you should call the Missouri Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 right away for treatment recommendations.

Additional Information

It is very common for a child to react strongly to the taste of the sanitizer, it may cause them to cough and gag. If you find that your child has licked hand sanitizer, do not panic. Take the bottle away from them, wipe out the mouth with a soft, wet cloth and give them some water to drink. After you have taken care of your child, immediately call the Missouri Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222.

IMPORTANT: Abuse of hand sanitizers for the high alcohol content is very different from a curious child licking the gel. If you know of an adult or teen abusing hand sanitizer, call the Missouri Poison Center. The poison center is open all day, every day for poisoning emergencies and questions.

Take The Missouri Poison Center With You

Emergencies don’t wait for you, so you shouldn’t have to wait to call for help. Get the Missouri Poison Center app with poison information and a link to the Poison Help Line. It is just a click away during the most stressful moments. Our registered nurses and pharmacists are here 24/7/365 days a year to help guide you through poison exposures and overdose emergencies.

Don’t wait. Download now.

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