StarDestroyer.Net BBS

 Post subject: Hand Sanitizer Help

Posted: 2011-10-15 03:08pm 

Hey Guys,

Alright I feel stupid for asking this, but here goes.

This morning, I used a little Purell Hand Sanitizer on my jeans to sanitize my zipper, the accompanying teeth, and fabric. I was dealing with mold yesterday afternoon and was playing it safe.

I'm concerned now about running it (and my shirt, which came into contact with it) through the washer and dryer later.

Because it's essentially rubbing alcohol and evaporates quickly, there shouldn't be any danger of flammability or damage, correct?

I pretty much already know the answer, but I'd like a second opinion regardless .

 Post subject: Re: Hand Sanitizer Help

Posted: 2011-10-15 03:30pm 

The only difference between hand sanitizer and rubbing alcohol is that they put a moisturizer in the hand sanitizer to keep your hands moist.

Everything else is identical between sanitizers and rubbing alcohols, even to the amount of bacterias it killed (we did a research paper in this).

If it's washerized, the hand sanitizer should be gone anyway.

 Post subject: Re: Hand Sanitizer Help

Posted: 2011-10-15 03:33pm 

Yeah.

I knew better when I posted. I've spilled Purell or wiped it on my jeans before. I've worn them and have them gone through the wash without a problem.

Thanks, Shroom.

 Post subject: Re: Hand Sanitizer Help

Posted: 2011-10-15 03:56pm 

Alcohol actually works better in killing microorganisms when mixed with some amount of water, which is why the rubbing alcohols we use are just XYZ% alcohol + water and not 100%.

Pure 100% alcohol would actually work less effective than just XYZ% alcohol + water.

If I recall the research thing we made, and all the literatures we read, right.

 Post subject: Re: Hand Sanitizer Help

Posted: 2011-10-15 09:06pm 

Really? Why is that?

 Post subject: Re: Hand Sanitizer Help

Posted: 2011-10-15 10:52pm 

70% alcohol is usually considered the best concentration because it has the best diffusion through bacterial cell walls to induce bacterial protein precipitation (denaturation), higher alcohol concentrations diffuse less efficiently/primarily affect surface proteins.