Hand Sanitizer Recall

[TrvlBug]

I was going to add to the 'Grocery' thread but thought this topic deserved its own.

Was without hand sanitizer for quite some time. Finally found some at Costco. Mfg in Mexico. The first recall of hand sanitizers mfg in Mexico did not list my brand (Blumen) so thought I was safe. Checked again yesterday after a clip during the local news and lo and behold, there are 75+ brands from 14 manufacturers on the recall list. These have been (maybe?) contaminated with methanol.

Had to hit several hardware and grocery stores to find what I wanted...70% mfg in the good 'ole USA. First stop only found 62% and bought some anyway. Subsequent stops found others mfg in Mexico but not on the list...no thank you. Some mfg in China...no thanks again. Finally, some mfg in USA .

 

[Amethyst]

I don't even like hand sanitizer - too sticky.

I carry a travel-sized spray bottle of 70% isopropyl alcohol. This trick was passed on to me by a colleague, who often traveled to 3rd world countries for work.

 

[EastWest Gal]

Our hand sanitizer is made in the USA. All the brands on the list are from Mexico.

 

[mamadogmamacat]

Adam's hand sanitizer
Made in CO, USA
Not sticky
Not cheap, 10 bucks free shipping 8 oz
I have ordered one so far
bought in April
Delivered in about 3 days w/o prime
Statred using it when what I had ran out first of May
Still have a lot of it so for 10 bucks it lasts a long while

Adams is 75% alcohol, very much smells like it too

https://www.amazon.com/Adams-Hand-S...words=adams+hand+single&qid=1595651366&sr=8-6

 

[Telly]

DFW area - Hand sanitizer has been available around here in quantity for maybe 6 weeks now. I started noticing that some said on ingredients "Alcohol 70%". Uh, what KIND of alcohol? I was very suspicious of those. Started seeing that in more stores, but not at Walmart. At one grocery chain, all they had was labeled "Alcohol 70%" and they had a lot of it. All made in Mexico. No thanks.

About 2 weeks ago, Walmart added another brand of hand sanitizer to their big display of hand sanitizers. This one said kills 99.9% of whatever. I picked it up and looked at the label for active ingredient... it was Benzalkonium Chloride. COVID-19 laughs at Benzalkonium Chloride. Also don't know how many people are buying wipes with Benzalkonium Chloride in them, thinking they are effective against COVID-19. Probably a lot. But I never get to read the ingredient label for the wipes, because there are no wipes there!

 

[Sunset]

I did carry a small 1oz spray bottle of medical alcohol , but have really found I only used it once so far.
Otherwise I haven't used hand sanitizer at all, just wash my hands, and wear gloves if going into a store.

 

[RetiredAtThirty-eight]

When hand wipes were in short supply my wife found these wipes that are sold dry:
https://www.dutchharborbrands.com/s...s-kit-hands-surfaces-canisters-diy-dry-wipes/

We just add 260 ml of iso alcohol to each one (the roll of dry wipes will absorb every last drop) but some people like to create special mixes using things like aloe vera gel. I like the pure rubbing alcohol because it dries relatively quickly and I think it does a good job of sterilizing.

 

[Sunset]

all this talk of methanol, reminded me of how we made methanol in high school, and then did various experiments with it.
I don't recall the teacher warning us not to touch it due to being poison.

 

[timo2]

When hand wipes were in short supply my wife found these wipes that are sold dry:
https://www.dutchharborbrands.com/s...s-kit-hands-surfaces-canisters-diy-dry-wipes/

We just add 260 ml of iso alcohol to each one (the roll of dry wipes will absorb every last drop) but some people like to create special mixes using things like aloe vera gel. I like the pure rubbing alcohol because it dries relatively quickly and I think it does a good job of sterilizing.

It is the ISO rubbing alcohol I have not been able to find anywhere.

 

[RonBoyd]

Just out curiosity. Is there a "Home Test Kit" to 1) identify type of alcohol and/or 2) the strength (ABV/Proof, perhaps)?

FWIW, Scotch is Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol) and Rubbing Alcohol is Methyl Alcohol (Methanol) and is found as Race Car Fuel, Antifreeze, etc.

Methanol depresses the central nervous system in the same way as ethanol, so in large quantities, it can kill someone in the same way as ordinary alcohol poisoning, but according to the National Institutes of Health, even 2 to 8 ounces of methanol can be fatal to an adult.

 

[audreyh1]

DH said that methanol is even a problem applied to the skin which surprised me.

 

[6miths]

FWIW, Scotch is Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol) and Rubbing Alcohol is Methyl Alcohol (Methanol) and is found as Race Car Fuel, Antifreeze, etc.

Rubbing alcohol is usually isopropyl alcohol (2-propanol/isopropanol/propan-2-ol) or denatured ethanol. Methanol is very toxic to humans when ingested orally and is first on the list of things to consider when people present with metabolic acidosis using the old mnemonic most med students still learn. Skin exposure is not a common way to get methanol poisoning though perhaps possible in these hand sanitizer days.

 

[RonBoyd]

DH said that methanol is even a problem applied to the skin which surprised me.

I doubt that is anything to worry about. However, the skin is a human organ with (very) many surprising abilities. For instance, applying magnesium to my skin is the only way I can consume it as a supplement -- orally it acts as a diaretic (Exlax). (I, also, use my skin to ingest Iodine -- not being an iodized salt user.) I doubt, however, it has the ability to consume 2-8 oz. in a short period of time. From personal experience, I have had several (even many) skin contacts to methanol without negative results. Yes, this is anecdotal evidence and YMMV -- not medical advice.

 

[audreyh1]

Didn’t make sense to me, but DH said that was part of the recall.

 

[RonBoyd]

Rubbing alcohol is usually isopropyl alcohol (2-propanol/isopropanol/propan-2-ol) or denatured ethanol.

Yes, I knew that. <blush> I misspoke.

 

[RonBoyd]

I should, also, point out that most dangerous (well, one of) characteristic of these alcohols is they burn with an invisible flame. They can do a lot of damage before your mind can comprehend what is going on. And the heat generated can be quite intense -- think race car fuel.

 

[6miths]

Yes, I knew that. <blush> I misspoke.

No worries! Cheers.

 

[RonBoyd]

Full disclosure. We have not been outside of our house since January... we live in a highly populated city and in a neighborhood that has one of the highest incidences of COVID-19. (This, of course, has not been easy for someone who has ~215,00 miles on our RV.) Nevertheless, we still have to connect with the outside world. Everything brought into our house is quarantined (3 days for mail, for instance) or instantly sanitized (groceries, etc.).

I have been using this product. I spray everything (not vegetables or paper) with this. I started by using surgical gloves in the beginning but have discontinuing that (about two months ago) because my hands were quite covered with the product for up to fifteen minutes.

I don't know for sure what the ingredients mean but: Ethyl Alcohol 64-17-5, Water 7722-18-5, Isopropyl Alcohol 67-63-0, Methanol 67-56-1. In addition, there is (California) warning of Reproductive Harm.

I am using an Aloe Vera Gel after scrubbing my hands. (A recent article explains that it is not the soap that is effective, it is the scrubbing.)

For everyday sanitizing I use MUSE Hand Sanitizer.

So far so good.

I have a doctors appointment (August 3rd) that I have been putting off since February. It is an INR test that hasn't varied in eight years. I am unsure what I am going to do. I, also, have a scheduled 1-year follow-up with my Cardiologist in November and a 3-year follow-up colonoscopy that is a few months past due.

Life sure gets tedious don't it .

 

[Telly]

FDA a few days ago announced an additional recall on hand sanitizers. This one is for 4 products all made by the same company. This company has not been mentioned in the earlier recall, to my knowledge. CBS News said they were sold at Walmart, and I think they said Costco, and others.

Through CBS network site, found this link on FDA website on it:
https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-...l-four-hand-sanitizer-due#recall-announcement

One of the names was familiar, yeah I bought one some weeks ago in a Walmart. I bought the Scent Theory Keep Clean Moisturizing 16.9 Oz. one. Scrolling down the link, they list the recalled product codes for them. The one I bought's product code is after the recalled ones. So I'm keeping it.

 

[easysurfer]

This is just terrible. In today's world, almost like drinking water tainted.

Glad that I'm old fashioned and am a good ol' soap and water type of guy and don't use hand sanitizer unless I really really have to.

 

[TrvlBug]

I'm watching the news as I post and it just came up . Didn't say where the additional recalls were manufactured. Hoping it wasn't in the USA!