Making Your Own Hand Sanitizer? Why You Shouldn’t Do It

The shortage of alcohol supplies, sanitizers, and disinfectants in almost all retail stores here in the country has led a majority of people to mix and make their own hand sanitizers. As of writing, there are a total of 3,660 confirmed COVID-19 cases with a total of 163 fatalities.

Making Your Own Hand Sanitizer: Why You Should Not Do It
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Because of this and the shortage of some disinfectants, people were dragged to the idea of making their own alcohol; their own sanitizers in the midst of the shortage. However, several health agencies are not in favor of this – so why should you disregard making your own hand sanitizer?

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Did you even care about hand sanitizers before?

Let’s take a step back, about a few months ago. Did you even consider bringing your own alcohol or hand sanitizer? Did you line up in grocery stores and drug stores to get yourself or your family members hand sanitizers? Yes, we all didn’t.

However, the outburst of the infamous 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) made us all aware of how effective alcohol and sanitizers could be. The shortage in almost everywhere you go is excruciating; groceries have no supplies, drug stores don’t even have face masks, and the like.

Read: Improvised Face Masks, Alternatives For Surgical Masks

This is the reason why many of us were prompted by certain recipes about making your own hand sanitizers.  Several websites and people shared their knowledge about how people at home can make their own versions of alcohol and hand sanitizers.

Discouraged by medical experts

The idea was to create and to mix your own alcohol or hand sanitizers with the hopes of it properly taking care of the virus. However, some medical experts don’t agree with this; and it’s for a couple of reasons.

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Incorrect measurements

Primarily, the reason why the idea of making your own hand sanitizers is discouraged by medical experts is because of the fact that the measurements of each compound could be inaccurate. You may see some posts and some blogs about it and as a matter of fact, many health experts think that it’s incorrect.

No sterile equipment

Dr. Ted Lain, Chief Medical Officer for the Sanova Dermatology Group and a Dermatologist said that all of us don’t have sterile production facilities in our homes. In addition to that, some recipes, as per Lain has essential oils and other stuff that might cause allergic reactions.

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We don’t have sterile production facilities in our houses. I’m concerned the percentage of alcohol is going to be incorrect. I’m concerned that the tools that are going to be used for it are not sterile and could be introducing bacteria, fungi and viruses into the hand sanitizer. And you hear about essential oils and other things being added that can cause contact sensitization.”

Sanitizers are never better than regular hand washing

Probably the biggest mistake everyone thinks is that hand sanitizers work well, or even better than regular washing of hands. Particularly, hand washing is the best defense against bacteria and viruses on your hand; sanitizers don’t have much effect if compared to regular and traditional hand washing.

Instead, Dr. Lain is encouraging people to just wash their hands with regular soap and water; washing them properly to get rid of viruses and bacteria.

Read: Common Everyday Things That can Put You at Risk For the COVID-19 Infection

I’d rather people use liquid soap and water, and then moisturize, which I know is going to be effective, than use a half-baked recipe of alcohol sanitizer that I hope is effective.”

Making your own hand sanitizer wouldn’t be the best thing to do

Now that we’ve heard the side of medical experts about this, would you still attempt to do it? I’m sure that many of us have attempted and we may or may have not come close to the real product. Even if that’s the case, we’re not chemists and engineers; some of the measurements might be wrong.

The worst part about it is the fact that even if you get it wrong or insufficient, it wouldn’t really do much of a difference if you haven’t had it.

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The best thing to do in this case is to regularly wash our hands. Before we do anything, as well as after doing something – even when we’re at home. Hand washing has been the simplest and the best solution from spreading viral diseases.

Would you still attempt making your own hand sanitizer? Would you still try and get it working for you? We suggest hand washing as the primal source of you and your family’s protection against the infamous COVID-19.

Source: The New York Times

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