How To Make Your Own Hand Sanitizer If It's Not Available At The Store
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The news of the coronavirus outbreak has caused a spike in hand sanitizer sales across the country.
So much so that demand for hand sanitizer has increased by 1,400% from December to January.
Experts told CBS News how to make their own if it is unavailable.
"Homemade hand sanitizers are just as effective as what you buy as long as you used the right percentage of alcohol," Dr. David Agus told CBS MoneyWatch. "This is a good way to get around people price-gouging for Purell."
The homemade sanitizers must contain 60% alcohol to be effective, according to Dr. Agus.
"If you make it well, it's about as effective as using soap and water," said Dr. Stephen Morse, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University in New York. "We know it works — just make sure it has enough alcohol in it."
HOMEMADE HAND SANITIZER INGREDIENTS:
Directions
Doctors, however, are reminding people that washing your hands is just as effective protecting one's self from the virus.
"We are a lazy society — no one wants to sit around for 20 seconds and wash their hands," Dr. Agus said.
If the homemade hand sanitizer is stored properly, professors believe the mixture could last weeks.
