Hand Sanitiser - Alcahol Free.

[Smoggy]

We got a load of hand sanitiser delivered at work the other day, it seems there's a lot about that is alcahol free using benzalkonium chloride as it's active ingredient.

As soon as I heard alcahol free alarm bells started ringing so I got round to looking the stuff up today, it seems that although it claims to kill coronavirus and cites european centre for disease prevention and control the only mention I can find is relating to canine coronavirus, a related but different strain that is of no threat to us whatsoever, the american centre for disease control states the active ingredient as unreliable for covid19.

If you are using this stuff check the ingredients and don't let it lull you into a false sense of security, it 'may' work on covid19 but there is no evidence that it will and washing your hands with soap will likely be far more effective, a little knowledge is indeed a dangerous thing!

I can see a lot of folk using this stuff in place of washing hands, DON'T!

And no your 80% proof vodka won't do it either as it's only 40% alcahol, you need at LEAST 60% to be effective.

[Paul]

5 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

And no your 80% proof vodka won't do it either as it's only 40% alcahol, you need at LEAST 60% to be effective.

80 degree proof alcohol is 45% ABV. Proofing alcoholic spirits predates the modern ABV system and was used to ensure the purity of navy spirits. Rum would ignite from gunpowder at 57% and that was considered 100 degree proof. At 57% it also has exactly 12/13ths the specific gravity of water. If it didn't burn it was under proof. The ratio between degrees proof and % ABV is 7:4. The USA adopted a 2:1 ratio of proof vs alcohol simply because it was easier to calculate but the 2:1 ratio has no real meaning. 

[Smoggy]

At 45% it's still no use as a virus killer, let's not drag a warning about ineffective hygene products into a rum appreciation thread, there's many that see proof % and read as alcahol %.

When hand sanitiser has a proof on the side you must be buying it from alcaholics anonymouse.

Kraken is my favourite BTW, although lidl often do a black spiced rum called liberte that is very close and £8 a bottle cheaper.....

[BroadAmbition]

Paul -  WOW 

Griff

[Smoggy]

Here's a handy reference to put in works bogs for those still working, pdf version below.

 

How-hand-sanitiser-works.pdf

[scaniaman]

Should be able to get the reel thing shortly from Morrisons or Sainsbury Nilco branded. 

[VetChugger]

Stick to soap and water and the 20 second rule. Far more effective.

[vanessan]

5 hours ago, VetChugger said:

Stick to soap and water and the 20 second rule. Far more effective.

As long as you are at home. When out, hand sanitiser is useful. Finally managed to get some so it is in the car for use immediately after leaving the supermarket.

[Chelsea14Ian]

As we are told by the medical experts. Soap and water and wash for 20 seconds is the most effective. Now that supermarkets are becoming more normal. Hand sanitizer will be easier to find.What is good to have is service sanitizer sprays.We use them in work,I have one at home.Regarding hand sanitizer, since I've been at home I rarely use it,just often washing hands.

[ranworthbreeze]

2 hours ago, Chelsea14Ian said:

As we are told by the medical experts. Soap and water and wash for 20 seconds is the most effective. Now that supermarkets are becoming more normal. Hand sanitizer will be easier to find.What is good to have is service sanitizer sprays.We use them in work,I have one at home.Regarding hand sanitizer, since I've been at home I rarely use it,just often washing hands.

Hello Ian,

The only time I have used hand  sanitizer is when visiting in hospital. As you know I spend a fair amount of time in our kitchen and wash my hands constantly during preparation, cooking  and washing pots, pans etc. It would be interesting to record how many times we all wash our hands in a average day.

Regards 

Alan

[Chelsea14Ian]

What amazed me.About three weeks ago,on BBC breakfast mentioned hand washing  just as this madness started that on average people washed there hands about  five times a day.If correct thats unbelievable .Okay I'm a chef properly wash my hands after every task,so in a day maybe 50/60 times at least.

[BroadAmbition]

How many of us chaps wash our hands EVERY time we visit the heads for a 'Number One' ?  

How many of us chaps learned from an early age not to   p i s s  on our hands ?   

Griff

[grendel]

surely that would be most of the 5 times a day right there

[Chelsea14Ian]

I've just asked  Google it was between 6 and 11 times a day.Even 11 times a day is incredible, May explain why it's hard to get people into the habit of washing there hands more often.