Organic Lifestyle Magazine

ABC Says Homemade Sanitizers Don’t Work For Coronavirus – We Disagree, So Here’s a Recipe

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Last updated on: April 9, 2020

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There are more than 14,000 reported cases of CoVID-19 in the United States, and numbers are only expected to rise as testing becomes more readily available. The EPA recently released its list of approved disinfectants for the virus. Clorox and Lysol wipes and sprays were among the list of various other products, 287 in all. You can view the EPA’s approved list of disinfectants here. To see if your product can kill CoVID-19, the EPA suggests looking for the EPA registration number to see if it shows up on the list of approved disinfectants. 

Shortly after the EPA released its approved list of disinfectants ABC News released an article titled “EPA releases list of approved disinfectants to kill coronavirus, and why homemade sanitizer won’t work”. This, however, is misleading because the article fails to mention homemade hand sanitizers at all. It does, however, point out that the EPA does not test “household products” such as vinegar when testing approved disinfectants. 

EPA does not review other household products, such as vinegar, or whether they’re effective against viruses and bacteria, the spokesperson said” 

EPA releases list of approved disinfectants to kill coronavirus, and why homemade sanitizer won’t work
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The article then goes on to say the following about hand sanitizer: 

Hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can also reduce the number of germs on your hands to a lesser extent, but CDC said products that are alcohol-free or have a lower percentage of alcohol are not as effective.”

EPA releases list of approved disinfectants to kill coronavirus, and why homemade sanitizer won’t work

According to the CDC, compared to washing with soap, hand sanitizer is not as effective at eliminating germs for a couple of different reasons. Hand sanitizer is not effective at removing toxic chemicals such as pesticides or heavy metals and when hands are visibly dirty or greasy hand sanitizer is shown to be less effective. Overall, hand sanitizer eliminates fewer germs than soap. So while the article says that hand sanitizers with less than 60% alcohol are not as effective the article neglects to mention that the CDC recommends hand washing above hand sanitizer whenever possible, And the article fails to explain that one can easily make him or herself homemade sanitizer that is just as effective as the commercial products, without the useless ingredients like perfumes.. 

CDC recommends washing hands with soap and water whenever possible because handwashing reduces the amounts of all types of germs and chemicals on hands. But if soap and water are not available, using a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can help you avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. The guidance for effective handwashing and use of hand sanitizer in community settings was developed based on data from a number of studies.”

Show Me the Science – When & How to Use Hand Sanitizer in Community Settings

While this article attempts to steer one away from homemade household cleaners, there are several homemade products you can use that do have antimicrobial properties. They are often more affordable and gentler on the body than store-bought EPA approved products. 

Simply create your own hand sanitizer with the right percentage of alcohol:

  • isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol – 99 percent alcohol volume
  • aloe vera gel (or water or both)
  • an essential oil (optional)

Use a 2-1 ratio, or 60-70% alcohol with this solution. Water works as a spray, aloe works as a gel.

If Rubbing alcohol irritates your skin check out this alternative.  Vinegar (consider an eco-friendly industrial strength for recipes) is another option to consider. The active ingredients are antimicrobial, but they have not been tested by the EPA and are not guaranteed to kill CoVID-19. If you are wondering what the best way to stay healthy right now, check out our complete guide to COVID 19. 

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Sage Edwards

Sage Edwards

Sage is a writer and photographer for Organic Lifestyle Magazine. At 18 years old Sage weighed more than 320 pounds. After years of being in persistent pain at such a young age, she decided it was time for a change. She started cranberry lemonade, a salad a day, cut out refined sugar and processed foods, Sage lost 100 pounds in less than a year. Today she likes to start her mornings with a run and weight lifting, and a big salad. She enjoys cooking, working out, and learning about health and the way of the Organic Lifestyle.

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