One of the ways to prevent the spread of coronavirus and protect yourself from illness is to keep your hands clean, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While washing with soap and water is the most effective way to kill germs, experts say that using a hand sanitizer is a convenient alternative.

But, in order for the sanitizer to be effective, you have to use it correctly. Here are some tips, according to Huffpost:

• Use enough product to cover all surfaces of your hands. Many people only use a dab on their palms and that’s not sufficient to disinfect. “Too much is better than too little,” said Dr. Zeke J. McKinney, from Minnesota’s HealthPartners Riverway Clinic in Anoka. The World Health Organization offers these tips on how to apply sanitizer correctly.
• Wait for the sanitizer to dry. Rub your hands together for 20 seconds until they feel dry so that the sanitizer has time to kill bacteria and viruses.
• Clean your hands first. Dr. McKinney told Huffpost that if you’ve been handling food or playing sports, get the grime off first if your hands are covered with grit or grease. “The real reason that washing your hands with soap and water is more effective is because you get the mechanical action of getting off bacteria by virtue of scrubbing,” he said.
• Use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol in the form of ethanol or ethyl alcohol. Here is a list of the most recommended hand sanitizers, according to Business Insider. The Food and Drug Administration has warned that certain hand sanitizer products have tested positive for methanol, or wood alcohol contamination. Methanol can be toxic when absorbed by the skin or ingested. Potentially dangerous products can be found in this recently updated list.