Hand Sanitizers: Do They Go Out Of Date?

The World Health Organization and government health advisers continue to advise people to wash their hands more often than normal. It has also been recommended you perform hand washing for at least 20 seconds to get rid of any traces of coronaviruses as well as other microbes in your hands.

In case you cannot wash your hands with soap and water, the WHO and health experts suggested using hand sanitizers. With hand sanitizers rapidly being cleaned off the shelves, you might want to rummage around your home for an old bottle of sanitizer. The question is, do they go out of date?

Hand Sanitizer Facts

Both soap and hand sanitizers work effectively when you want to clean your hands and remove traces of microbes and other microorganisms. The latter is particularly useful when people are out of their homes are mobile most of the time.

Hand sanitizers are made of alcohol and other ingredients which create a gel-like consistency. Being alcohol-based, it is designed to kill bacteria, viruses, and germs. Although very effective for its designed purpose, its efficacy lessens over time and can ultimately go out of date. This means the hand sanitizer you got from the supermarket three years ago may not have the same efficacy as the one you bought one month ago.

A Disappearing Act

In the past, it is normal to see store shelves full of hand sanitizers. Today, amid the coronavirus pandemic, the same store shelves remain empty with its stocks of hand sanitizers seemingly wiped out by panicky customers.

There may have been enough hand sanitizers for everyone except that in many cases, a customer bought a little too much of this now-important commodity. This resulted in a fast-disappearing act of hand sanitizers on store shelves.

The problem is these customers may have bought more than they require and may even open several more than what is needed. As soon as you open these hand sanitizers, its alcohol content starts to evaporate. When its alcohol level falls below 60%, the gel will not be as effective in killing bacteria, viruses, and germs.

It Has An Expiry Date

According to experts, hand sanitizers often take approximately three years for it to fully expire. Alex Berezow, the Vice President of Scientific Communications at the American Council on Science and Health, however, said that a little alcohol is definitely better than nothing at all. Dr. Berezow is also a microbiologist and science writer. He says that if the alcohol concentration of a hand sanitizer dips below 60%, it can lose some of its effectiveness.

Even if that is the case, according to Dr. Berezow, expired hand sanitizers may still have some degree of efficacy, particularly if the bottle is unopened. He added, however, that if you are in your homes and have access to water and soap, it is best to use it. This way, you will be saving the gel for some future use. Besides, washing your hands with soap and water is way better in killing viruses and germs.

Dr. Berezow also voiced his opinion on why using hand sanitizers at home is a bad idea. He said people might get into the habit of using them instead of simply washing their hands with soap and water. Besides, a sanitizer gel will not be able to properly clean your hands if they are dirty.

In the case of rubbing alcohol, it is best used to disinfect various types of surfaces at home. This can limit the number of germs a person may pick up upon touching surfaces.