If you've looked high and low for essential products while quarantined in Illinois but continuously come up empty, you might not be looking in the right spot.

That's how I've been feeling when looking for toilet paper, disinfectant wipes, and hand sanitizer for the past month or so.

And while sure, you can combine rubbing alcohol and aloe to create an at-home version of hand sanitizer, I'm not a chemist.

That's where InStok has comes in handy. InStok does product searches based on your location. They do mention, "If an item is not on the shelf, it is possibly at the back or someone must've bought the item since inventory was last updated."

When you first visit InStok you'll be prompted for your zip code and from there, a list of stores in the area will be displayed.

Then, in the search bar, type in what you're looking for and just like that, the items will populate with a designated "out of stock" or "likely in stock."

For example, Honest Hand Sanitizer Spray Dreamy Lavender, is "likely in stock" at Walgreens at 1145 North Alpine Road in Rockford.

InStok isn't a bad tool as long as you understand that sometimes things might move off the shelf faster than the site can be updated.

Then again, if you're that desperate for hand sanitizer, and your only option is "Dreamy Lavender," maybe you'll become a chemist after all.

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Sweet Lenny is the brand manager of 97ZOK, Q98.5, and Operations Manager for Townsquare Media Rockford. Catch him afternoons 3 to 7 on 97ZOK. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram and like his page on Facebook.

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