How many hand sanitiser stations do I need?

As a rule of thumb, provide one station per 20-40 people depending on premises type. Healthcare settings need one per 10 people. Place stations at all entrances, exits, shared equipment areas and food preparation zones.

How much hand sanitiser does one person use per day?

Each use dispenses approximately 1.5ml. In an office, people typically sanitise 5 times per day (arriving, before/after lunch, meetings, leaving). Healthcare workers may use sanitiser 10+ times per day.

How often do hand sanitiser dispensers need refilling?

A standard 1-litre refill provides about 660 uses. For a 50-person office, that lasts roughly 2-3 days. Healthcare and school settings go through refills faster due to higher usage frequency.

What strength hand sanitiser should I use?

The NHS recommends hand sanitiser with at least 60% alcohol content for effective germ killing. Most commercial dispensers use 70% alcohol gel. Foam sanitisers use slightly less product per use than gel types.

CleanCalcs

Hand Sanitiser Calculator

Calculate hand sanitiser station count and refill frequency for your premises based on occupancy and type.

Number of Occupants

Daily building occupancy including staff and visitors

Premises TypeType of building or facility

Days Per Week

Operating days per week

How We Calculate This

The calculator estimates station count from occupancy and premises type, then calculates daily usage and refill frequency.

Station count

Stations = Occupants / Occupants per station (by premises type)

Usage calculation

Daily usage = Occupants x Uses per day x ml per use

Uses per day by premises type

Office: 5 uses/day
Retail: 3 uses/day
School: 6 uses/day
Healthcare: 10 uses/day
Hospitality: 4 uses/day
Gym: 6 uses/day

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: March 2026

All calculations are estimates. Always verify quantities and timings for your specific situation.