Instant Hand Sanitizer 50ml vs Hand Wash Natural Seventh Generation: which is safer?

Hand Wash Natural Seventh Generation is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.

Dettol Instant Hand Sanitizer 50ml

Dettol

Instant Hand Sanitizer 50ml

PFAS grade

Excellent 75/100

Overall grade

Poor 37/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 5

Material

Aqueous alcohol-based liquid sanitizer (ethanol, water, glycerin)

Confidence

82%

PossibleFragrance allergens

ReportedSkin irritation and drying from ethanol

PossiblePreservative safety (methyl/propylparaben or phenoxyethanol risk)

Our pick

Hand Wash Natural Seventh Generation

Seventh Generation

Hand Wash Natural Seventh Generation

PFAS grade

Excellent 75/100

Overall grade

Good 67/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

water-based surfactants, plant-derived ingredients

Confidence

82%

PossibleFragrance allergens

PossiblePreservative sensitivity or irritation from plant extracts

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Skin irritation and drying from ethanol, Preservative safety (methyl/propylparaben or phenoxyethanol risk), Flammability and improper storage risk and Eye and mucous membrane irritation if misused on the Dettol and not on the Seventh Generation.
  • We flag Preservative sensitivity or irritation from plant extracts on the Seventh Generation and not on the Dettol.
  • Both carry a flag for Fragrance allergens, so neither choice avoids it.
  • The Dettol is Aqueous alcohol-based liquid sanitizer (ethanol, water, glycerin) where the Seventh Generation is water-based surfactants, plant-derived ingredients, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • These two are level, close enough that price and fit should decide it rather than our grade.

Both products run through the same public rubric, which covers materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →

More hand sanitizer, see the full ranking