Hand sanitiser is now a very hot commodity and often sells out quickly in stores because people are buying up large quantities in case they need it in the future when it’s not possible to buy any more. What many people do not realize is that hand sanitisers have expiry dates, especially those containing alcohol and must be stored correctly, especially after they have been opened and their clinical seal is broken. This includes squirt bottles as they cannot be properly or adequately sealed when not in use.
Alcohol the active ingredient in most hand sanitisers is a very volatile substance and needs to be kept and used well. It’s vital that people understand and take notice that the alcohol in their hand sanitisers will slowly evaporate from the container, especially plastic containers that are not very well sealed. It is much better to have a small fresh bottle of hand sanitiser and replace it frequently with a fresh new bottle rather than rely on a large bottle that over time may fall below the required level of alcohol of 60% plus.
Strengths
In order for hand sanitisers to work, they need to have an alcohol content of more than 60% at all times and those with lower alcohol contents are not effective against bacteria and viruses such as the corona virus.
The best treatment for sanitising your hands is to use soap and water for at least 30 seconds and you need to cover all parts of your hands and wrists.
The world health Organization WHO states that if soap and water are not available, then a good quality, high alcohol based hand sanitiser is the best option. This is confirmed by CDC or The Center for Disease Control and almost every government health departments worldwide.
When purchasing hand sanitiser you must ensure the seals are completely intact and the bottles are not past their expiry date which should be clearly printed on the bottles.
It is also important that the bottles are kept before being sold in a protective cool place as excessive heat will increase the amount of evaporation, even from sealed plastic bottles.
(This does not happen with glass bottles).
Do not keep hand sanitisers in your car or anywhere else they may be exposed to sunlight and the heat from the sun.
If you purchase a large bottle of hand sanitiser it is best to transfer small amounts into smaller bottles for daily use and reseal the larger bottle. The larger bottle should then be kept in a cool, dark place until you need to refill the smaller bottles again. In order for a bottle of hand sanitiser to be totally effective it needs to have both anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties.
It should be noted that there are some germs and bacteria that are not affected by alcohol based hand sanitisers and these are best treated with soap and water plus heat such as steaming or boiling.
When travelling, especially in hot conditions, you are better off purchasing smaller bottles of hand sanitiser on a regular basis rather than using a large bottle that could be compromised because of the heat causing it to lose its ability to fight off bacteria and infections, but be sure to check expiry dates.