Alcohol based hand sanitizers that have less than 60% alcohol are not effective for infection control. Some are being marketed with only 40% alcohol or less. Be sure and check the labels.
…”What started out as an informal classroom experiment at East Tennessee State University has turned up disturbing evidence about some alcohol-based instant hand sanitizers — the antiseptic gels and foams that have become popular as a quick way to disinfect hands when soap and water aren’t available…
…But a study published in this month’s issue of the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases found that at least one brand of sanitizer found on store shelves, as well as some recipes for homemade versions circulating on Web sites about crafts or directed at parents, contain significantly less than the 60 percent minimum alcohol concentration that health officials deem necessary to kill most harmful bacteria and viruses…”
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/21/health/21cons.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Thanks Dr. C.
Just checked my Purell and Sam’s Club (Member’s Mark)….both 62% alcohol.
http://www.fluwikie.com/index.php?n=Forum.NewsReportsMarch22
BroncoBill – at 12:00 CHECK YOUR HAND SANITIZER BOTTLES!!!!
Sorry hadn’t seen it there, a worthwhile article isn’t it?
62% alcohol content in all the noes that I bought! Whew!!!
62% alcohol content in all the ones that I bought! Whew!!!
62% alcohol content in all the ones that I bought! Whew!!!
Sorry about the triple post…I tried to correct the spelling in the first one and for some reason it posted 2 more times.
Dr C – at 03:36 --- Yes it is…that was the reason I started checking here at work. Real bummer to find out what they’re putting in our bottles.
Some hand sanitizer I bought at a dollar store was only 40%. Fortunately I only bought 1 bottle. The stuff I’ve been stocking is 62%
Wally World (Wal-Mart) has a huge container of hand sanitizer 62% alcohol called “germ-x” It’s 1.18L in size and although I don’t remeber the exact price I was surprised at how inexpensive it was. Seems like it was between 3 and 4 dollars. A really good deal.
For those who do not like the alcohol smell some hand sanitizers have: Bath & Body Works sells hand sanitizers that have different fragrances, vanilla, berry, and freesia just to name a few. They have 60% alcohol in them. I keep a 3oz size in my purse.
I’ve read that. Target has a generic hand sanitzier with 62% ethyl alcohol as well. I found it right by the Purell.
why cant the content be increased by adding alcohol? the glycerine stabilizer would just be a little thinner. the pump dispencer will still stop the additional alcohol from evaporating.
emily 16:10
that is the germ-x. and it is much cheaper.
hvac – at 16:40 --- On a different thread, this was addressed. Somebody much smarter than I said a person could add alcohol (I believe it was ethanol?) and that would increase the alcohol content.
musta missed it thanks….but i am a little slow
“Wet Ones” and “Baby Wipes” have only 40% alcohol, too little.
great the ones I bought at the dollar store had only 40 percent. I guess I won’t buy it there anymore.
Is there a medical professional that can weigh in definitely on the hand sanitizer issue? Purell is 62.5 alcohol which would seem to satisfy the 60% concentration recommended by the above cited study in the Journal of Emerging Infectious Diseases. However, I just got off the phone with the Pzifer 800 help line and they are categorically telling me that they are *not* representing that Purell will protect against viruses. So, I’m wondering if any medical personel can help clarify the situation. Does Purell or other 60% alcohol solution help protect against viruses—or does do they just give us a false sense of security? Thanks
Remeber that 60% is the low end of the recommended level. Alcohol is good against most “live” bacteria (not spores) and enveloped viruses (Flu is one). I would assume it would work against this flu since it has a lipid envelope. But I don’t know if it has been tested. Most medical folks use alcohol closer to 90%. That is where most of the testing is done. If you believe press releases, “No-Germ” was tested on this virus. It’s active ingredient is benzalkonium chloride. That is in a lot of the “baby wipes”.
OH, yes, here is a link for you, http://www.surgicenteronline.com/articles/571feat6.html about alcohol notice that “Certainly the ones with an alcohol/chlorhexidine combo are most effective,”
You might want to check out “HIBICLENS” I got mine at Walgreens. In the EU you can get mouthwash with chlorhexidine (it is Rx in the US).
To understand how strong the alcohol needs to be, look at barber shops and hairdressers. When they pull a comb out of that blue-liquid-filled jar on the counter, that liquid is roughly 90% alcohol, with a bit of fragrance added. That’s used to kill just about anything that might end up on the combs.
That said, a hand-sanitizer rated at 60–65% alcohol may or may not be effective against viruses…I would spend the money and buy the better, higher-end sanitizers. It’s worth it. It will be hard to find a hand-sanitizer with much more than 70%.
just get a bottle of 90% alcohal from the drug store and por off half of the hand-sanitizer into a empty bottle and add the 90% to the hand-sanitizer bottle and you should have the mix about 75%.
Why not just use isopropyl alchohol? Is that a problem? I know it drys the hands some, but couldn’t you just put a bit of lotion on afterwards? Or maybe mix a bit of olive oil with it?
How about everclear grain alchohol? Will that work?
Just trying to think outside the box…
mountainlady,
that would work, unless you felt the need to follow up with a dose of contaminated lotion right after.
yes, that should work. Both, ethylalcohol or isopropyl should work.
Five disinfectants were tested: phenolic disinfectants (Tek-trol and one-stroke environ), a quaternary ammonia compound (Lysol no-rinse sanitizer), a peroxygen compound (Virkon-S), and sodium hypochlorite (household bleach). All five disinfectants were effective at inactivating AIV at the recommended concentrations,
http://www.state.sd.us/doh/Alerts/Alerts/CDC/228.htm
Could you do the same with Clorox Wipes—add stronger alcohol? Would it absorb evenly I wonder?
No commercial links are allowed on the wiki. NewFreedom, I’m removing your post.
Melanie at 4:09, why would the lotion be contaminated? If it’s in a pump bottle or squeeze tube, the user doesn’t touch it except the portion she takes out.
If needed, you can use ordinary methylated spirits at about 90% Ethanol. Very drying to the hands/skin, so suggest you use some hand cream such as Sorbolene daily.
For anyone storing large quantities of alcohol based materials keep in mind that they can be an accelerant (sp?)- fire hazard. Keep away from pilot lights, etc. Hospitals are not permitted to have dispensors above light switches, and in limited quantities on each floor due to fire marshall reg enforcements.
Wonder if isopropyl alcohol + gelling agent = cheap alternative….. granted it won’t moisturize, and cracked skin is just one more infection vector….
Thanks for the answers y’all! Could be useful in the future.
How about Betadine? It would make your hands a wonderful shade of orange. :-D
My Germ-X is 62%.
I hate “hand sanitizers”. What a misnomer. People think that merely putting this crap in contact with their skin means that it’s “sanitized”. What hooey.
I carry a small bottle of combined 2/3 “hand sanitizer 62% isopropl alcohol but I add to the bottle from a 70% isopropl alcohol, to fill the small bottle to the top and shake. This not only makes the solution stronger and I do not eat out, without using this and have done this since the SARS infection came out. Since I have started doing this, the people I eat out with, all now do the same thing, and we eat at buffets alot and do not eat without using the solution first, before eating and every time to the line.
lbb at 08:57 Hand sanitizers are actually more effective at killing bateria and viruses than handwashing. I was from the old school and had my doubts too until I did research on hand sanitzing products. The CDC recommends hand sanitizers over handwashing and even encourages kids to pack them in there lunch boxes. The wipes would probably work better. Healthcare workers are highly encouraged to use them and some even have added ingredients for lasting protection. The gels are gooey, try a spray instead they dry faster.
Uhm…Okay.
One of my first preps included a case of the 1 liter refill soft containers (NXT refill) of alcohol gel that we use at the hospital. Figured hand washing is #1 in prevention and the large size was relatively cheap ($9/liter). Very important to remember with any disinfecting is contact time. Need to use enough to thouroughly “wet” surface for a short time period ie 30 seconds or so.
http://www2.mooremedical.com/index.cfm?PG=CTL&CS=HOM&FN=ProductDetail&PID=7761
ooops, not the NXT refill, rather the “bag in the box” refill
Closed to maintain Forum speed.