A few weeks ago we saw a rumor that creating hand sanitizing gel with vodka at home could protect us from the coronavirus. And as if that wasn’t enough, mixing rum, bleach and fabric softener “will do the job too”. FALSE!
Watch out for homemade hand sanitizing gel recipes. We have seen many people “creating” hand sanitizing gel with vodka on the net, because alcohol = virucide. In certain ways, yes. But it’s not that simple. Health experts warn that these types of mixtures are potentially harmful and are not effective in protecting against Covid-19 infection.
Now, a mixture of rum, bleach and fabric softener has gone viral to create your hand sanitizing gel. And you may wonder, where did this new recipe come from? A video with over 16,000 views is currently circulating on Facebook showing how to prepare a gel effective against Covid-19 coronavirus.
In the video we see a person mixing rum, bleach and fabric softener in a bottle before rubbing the solution into their hands. But this claim is false. Health experts have explained several times that these types of homemade solutions can be harmful.
The World Health Organization recommends the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer gel to protect against infection. Also, Integrated Chemists of the Philippines (ICP) submitted a statement explaining that such solution is not effective. In fact, the video is from the Philippines.
ICP explains in its statement: “Alcoholic products contain only about 40% alcohol and lack the concentration needed for a hand sanitizer. Products that are below the 70% alcohol concentration required MUST NOT be used as a hand sanitizer“.
In addition, ICP shared with a screenshot of the video a message highlighting the damage of the solution. “Do not imitate. Deadly. Mixing chlorine and alcohol creates chloroform, a toxic and dangerous chemical when inhaled or rubbed on the skin.”
On the other hand, both the rum brand, Tanduay, and Green Cross bleach, shown in the video warned against using these products together.
Let’s avoid these dangerous recipes
Previously we saw how many Internet users were also creating solutions against the coronavirus with vodka. Social networks have been flooded with wild and sometimes dangerous homemade recipes since the WHO published a local production guide for health professionals on its website.
So let’s avoid falling for these fake news. Let’s buy solutions and gels from pharmacies or under their true label – let’s let the distilleries do the job and use their alcohol and ethanol to create solutions by experts!
If you see messages on the web that encourage the creation of dangerous recipes at home do not hesitate to let us know to uncover these fake news, contact us.
Don’t drink and drive. Enjoy responsibly.