Adjusting to the new normal during the COVID-19 pandemic means that we need extra precaution surrounding that we need to bring every time we go out to do errands or buy food. This includes bringing face masks and hand sanitisers with you to keep safe and clean. However, Malaysian pharmaceutical company Argania.my advises that your hand sanitiser should not be left in vehicles that are left parked under the hot sun—and with good reason.
“The active ingredient like alcohol can evaporate under rising temperatures and will lose its effectiveness. In times of crisis like now, something is, of course, better than nothing but we strongly advise against leaving hand sanitisers in hot vehicles. Also, do not use hot hand sanitisers fluid on the skin as it may irritate it, let it cool down first,” said the company representative.
Argania.my also mentioned that alcohol doesn’t like heat, so it might be flammable if it’s left for long periods under the Malaysian heat. While there are other options like alcohol-free hand sanitisers that might be slightly safer to keep in the car—which use benzalkonium chloride as an alcohol replacement—it’s warned by the CDC that they’re not as effective as alcohol itself at killing germs and may merely reduce the growth of new germs.
Argania.my have been producing hand sanitisers for the last five years. However, the recent virus has put them into overdrive in regards to creating hygiene products such as hand sanitisers and disinfectant sprays.
Hand sanitiser brands like Dettol have storage instructions that say they must be kept under 30 degree celcius, or even advising to just keep cool. Antiseptics like Betadine also have labels that say they must be stored under 25 degree celsius.
We advise you to take your hand sanitiser with you and not to leave it in your car even for a short while, as you might forget you’ve left it there. As for any extra bottles you might have, leave them at home or at your office if you’ve started going to work.
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