The 2019-2020 coronavirus epidemic will undoubtedly remain in our memories for various reasons, and among these we can cite the phenomenon of mass purchases, motivated by fear, which in particular quickly put out of stock the medical masks from pharmacies and stores. Then came the hand sanitizers, followed by various common food items. Items that were not valuable merely a few months ago are now coveted and hoarded.
If your local pharmacies are out of stock from disinfectant and masks? Be aware that you can make your own hand sanitizer and use homemade “cleaning wipes”.
Although public health experts do not necessarily recommend healthy individuals to wear face masks and over use disinfectant products, it took little for the entire population to rush into the stores and buy some. The stores did not initially plan to meet such a sudden and important need, the shelves were emptied in the expanse of a few days (or even hours).
Do not panic, there are alternatives (more effective)
Miryam Wahrman, biology professor at William Paterson University and author of the book ” The Hand Book: Surviving in a Germ-Filled World ” explains in detail how to respond to this brief shortage by making your own disinfectant.
All you really need is alcohol, either isopropyl (isopropyl, also called “rubbing alcohol”) or ethyl (ethanol). The latter is used particularly in the production of alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine and similar products.
As long as the solution is at least 60% alcohol, you can use it (rubbing the liquid on your hands and letting it air dry) to disinfect effectively. “The bottom line is that alcohol is the active ingredient in the hand sanitizer,” says Wahrman.
You can make the treatment a little less harsh on the skin by moisturizing after the alcohol has dried. You can also add a minor quantity of aloe vera to rubbing alcohol. However, in this case, make sure that the liquid contains more than 60% alcohol so that the aloe vera does not dilute it too much. ““If you drop below 60 percent, the effectiveness drops very dramatically,” she says.
Some experts recommend mixing two-thirds of 91% isopropyl alcohol with one-third of aloe vera. You can also add a few drops of scented oil to make your homemade disinfectant smell better.
Ideally, be aware that you can forgo the hand sanitizer and wash your hands thoroughly and frequently. Hand washing, which removes germs from your skin, is the best way to protect yourself from coronavirus and other pathogens.
The hand sanitizer, on the other hand, kills most germs but doesn’t remove them from your skin, said Wahrman. “Handwashing is the most important first step, and you shouldn’t be bashful about it.”
Alcohol, a key ingredient in disinfectant wipes
To “produce” your own disinfectant wipes, simply take a paper towel or handkerchief, dab it in rubbing alcohol (or any other type of solution containing at least 60% alcohol) and wipe the surface you want to clean.
If you want less aggressive wipes for surfaces or skin, just like hand sanitizer, mix alcohol with other suitable products (not just any). To do this, refer to the paragraphs above.
