Since the onset of COVID-19, experts around the world recommended that you should wash your hands regularly, maintain social distancing, and wear masks to reduce the spread of the virus.
And since then a lot of people thought it was a good idea to make their own sanitizers at home due to the lockdown. Moreover, you can easily find recipes for making sanitizers on Reddit, Twitter, Pinterest, and other social media platforms. However, just because these recipes exist doesn’t mean that you should follow them.
Following are a few reasons why you should NOT make hand sanitizer at home
Well, to begin with, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention recommends that you should wash your hands or opt for sanitizer liquid. Secondly, the FDA is well aware of the fact that people are making DIY hand sanitizers but they don’t have any verifiable information or proof that states that these sanitizers are safe for use on human skin.
Last but not the least, experts caution that making your homemade hand rub sanitizer is way more difficult than it might seem. If you somehow don’t get the concentration right, experts say that you might end up with something that isn’t as effective or is too harsh on your skin.
The objective here is to get the ratio of ingredients right. The CDC recommends using a hand sanitizer that holds at least 60% alcohol, which stores or online brought brands have, like Safekind. It contains 70% alcohol and kills 99.9% of bacteria and viruses. However, trying to replicate that on your own can be a difficult task.
A guideline was issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) back in 2010 and it talked about how to make a hand sanitizer on your own, which has been circulating online now. However, the experts say that the document talks about using things like ethanol and hydrogen peroxide which is too complex for the average person.
Rather than making hand sanitizers at home, just wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use a store brought sanitizer. It is the best way to prevent transmission of germs and/or viruses, avoid touching your face, cover your face while sneezing, and regularly clean your surfaces and you are good.
Disclaimer This blog solely intended for the educational/informational/awareness purposes and is not a substitute for any professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your doctor/healthcare professional before acting on the information provided on the blog. Reliance on any or all information provided in the blog, is solely at your own risk and responsibility. Mankind Pharma Limited shall not be held liable, in any circumstance whatsoever.
