Household cleaning
Carex Complete Hand Sanitiser dupe
Why pay around £3.00 for Carex? The bulk active is Isopropyl alcohol 99% (IPA) diluted to ~70% — 63% less per working litre than a typical shelf pack.
From the retail pack to the active and the mix
1 · Retail
Carex Complete Hand Sanitiser
500 millilitres · £3.00 typical snapshot
Water, glycerin and a fragrance
2 · Active
Ethanol / isopropanol (alcohol)
70% on the label
67-63-0C3H8O
Bulk Isopropyl alcohol 99% (IPA) diluted to ~70%
3 · Mix
7:3 (7 parts 99% IPA + 3 parts water → ~70%)
£2.24 per working litre · 63% less than the shelf pack
- Active
- Ethanol / isopropanol (alcohol)
- CAS
- 67-63-0
- Dupe
- Isopropyl alcohol 99% (IPA) diluted to ~70%
- Saving
- 63% / L
Saving is per litre of working-strength mix versus a typical pack price, not versus the DIY kit total. Shop prices move — always check the listing.
Label teardown
What the pack promises versus what the label chemistry actually is.
The marketing claim
“Kills 99.9% of bacteria without water”
The chemical reality
WHO-style sanitiser is 70–80% alcohol plus a drop of glycerin. The branded gel is that mix with a pump. 99% isopropyl alcohol diluted 7:3 with water is the same working strength in litres, not 500 ml pumps. Flammable — not a drink, not a medicine.
Active vs filler
70% Ethanol / isopropanol (alcohol) · 30% carrier / filler — Water, glycerin and a fragrance
- Typical retail
- £3.00
- 500 millilitres
- Estimated active cost
- £1.13
- Scaled from bulk £15.99 / 5 litres
- Indicative markup
- 2.7×
- Snapshot maths, not a live shop price
The Marketing Claim & The Catch
A 500 millilitres pack of Carex Complete Hand Sanitiser typically retails around £3.00 in household cleaning. That is a UK shelf-price snapshot for the maths on this page — not a live shop quote or a manufacturer RRP. Listings, sizes and deals move. The marketing line is that you are buying a finished lifestyle product, not a weighed chemical.
On the pack: Kills 99.9% of bacteria without water; and Dermatologically tested gel.
The catch: WHO-style sanitiser is 70–80% alcohol plus a drop of glycerin. The branded gel is that mix with a pump. 99% isopropyl alcohol diluted 7:3 with water is the same working strength in litres, not 500 ml pumps. Flammable — not a drink, not a medicine.
- “Kills 99.9% of bacteria without water”
- “Dermatologically tested gel”
Proprietary Blend & Dosage Breakdown
The labelled active is Ethanol / isopropanol (alcohol) at 70%. Everything else in the pack is water, glycerin and a fragrance.
Even when the pack is sold as “pure” or ready-to-use, the dose that actually does the work is Ethanol / isopropanol (alcohol). The rest is how they get it into a bottle you will pick up.
Branded working strength is whatever comes out of the bottle. The bulk alternative is 99% Isopropyl alcohol 99% (IPA) diluted to ~70%, mixed to 7:3 (7 parts 99% IPA + 3 parts water → ~70%).
- Labelled active
- Ethanol / isopropanol (alcohol)
- 70%
- Carrier
- Water, glycerin and a fragrance
- Retail pack
- 500 millilitres · £3.00
The Active Chemical Alternative (Dupe Stack)
The dupe stack is Isopropyl alcohol 99% (IPA) diluted to ~70% at 99% bulk. Indexed as CAS 67-63-0, formula C3H8O. Buy it as 5 litres for around £15.99 from Amazon UK.
Working strength: 7:3 (7 parts 99% IPA + 3 parts water → ~70%). Indicative cost £2.24 per diluted litre — 63% below a typical branded pack on a per-litre basis, before you reuse leftover bulk.
Follow the mixing method and the supplier SDS. Wear the listed PPE. Do not mix incompatible oxidisers, acids or ammonia.
- Highly flammable. No flames, no charging phones beside an open bottle. Gloves if you have broken skin. Do not drink.
- 7 parts 99% IPA + 3 parts water makes about 70% v/v. Optional: 1–2% vegetable glycerin so hands crack less.
- 5 litres of 99% makes about 7.1 litres of 70% sanitiser. A 500 ml Carex pump is one-fourteenth of that.
- This is a household disinfectant comparison, not medical advice and not a licensed antiseptic.
Dilution recipe
0.5 L working batch
Working strength 7:3 (7 parts 99% IPA + 3 parts water → ~70%). Educational estimate from the listed ratio — check the SDS before you mix.
Chemical
350 millilitres
Isopropyl alcohol 99% (IPA) diluted to ~70%
Water
0.15 litres
Carrier / diluent
70% concentrate · 30% water by working volume (solids are dissolved into the water share).
Required PPE
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Side-by-Side Price & Potency Comparison
Head-to-head comparison
| Measure | Retail brandedCarex | Raw active dupeDupeStack |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Complete Hand SanitiserAmazon UK search — listing, not a confirmed seller | Isopropyl alcohol 99% (IPA) diluted to ~70% |
| Pack / unit | 500 millilitres · £3.00 | 5 litres · £15.99 |
| Active | Ethanol / isopropanol (alcohol) at 70%Carrier: Water, glycerin and a fragrance | 99% bulkC3H8O |
| CAS number | Not disclosed on pack | 67-63-0 |
| Working strength | Ready-to-use pack | Dilute 7:3 (7 parts 99% IPA + 3 parts water → ~70%) |
| Cost per litre | £6.00 / L typical pack | £2.24 / L mixed from bulk |
| Headline saving | Baseline | 63% cheaper |
| COSHH / PPE | Follow the branded SDS | Gloves. Chemical-resistant gloves (nitrile or neoprene)Ventilation. Use outdoors or with mechanical extraction |
Active ingredient and cheaper alternative — FAQ
What is the active ingredient in Carex?
Carex Complete Hand Sanitiser is labelled as Ethanol / isopropanol (alcohol) at 70%. The carrier is Water, glycerin and a fragrance. Pack size: 500 millilitres. The bulk equivalent we index is Isopropyl alcohol 99% (IPA) diluted to ~70% (CAS 67-63-0).
Is Isopropyl alcohol 99% (IPA) diluted to ~70% safe on the intended surface?
Used at the listed working strength (7:3 (7 parts 99% IPA + 3 parts water → ~70%)), the dupe is the same chemistry as the branded pack for kettles, ceramics and washable hard surfaces. That is not a blanket all-clear: read the supplier SDS, wear the listed PPE, keep acids away from hypochlorite, and follow UK HSE/COSHH rules. Wellness teardowns are supplements, not medicines.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Carex Complete Hand Sanitiser?
Yes. The bulk equivalent is Isopropyl alcohol 99% (IPA) diluted to ~70% (CAS 67-63-0). Indicative saving 63% per working litre versus a pack that typically retails around £3.00. Working strength: 7:3 (7 parts 99% IPA + 3 parts water → ~70%). Live shop prices move.
How do you mix the Complete Hand Sanitiser dupe stack?
Highly flammable. No flames, no charging phones beside an open bottle. Gloves if you have broken skin. Do not drink. 7 parts 99% IPA + 3 parts water makes about 70% v/v. Optional: 1–2% vegetable glycerin so hands crack less. 5 litres of 99% makes about 7.1 litres of 70% sanitiser. A 500 ml Carex pump is one-fourteenth of that. This is a household disinfectant comparison, not medical advice and not a licensed antiseptic.
DupeStack provides chemical concentration data and educational mixing guides only. Wellness pages compare food supplements, not medicines or prescribed treatments. Always review the supplier Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and comply with UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and COSHH regulations when handling concentrated substances. Mixing and storage are at your own risk. Some links are affiliate advertisements (Amazon Associates, eBay Partner Network, and Awin when those programmes are live). Commissions do not change listed concentrations or calculator output.
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Indicative DIY stack