If you are looking for other high cost alcohol sources fine fragrance EDTs and EDPs are predominantly alcohol and come in convenient spray packs. This time it is the cheaper ones that are the best bet. The optimum hand sanitiser has around 70% alcohol. The top brands contain very little water but cheaper ones sometimes skimp on alcohol in favour of water. I’d particularly recommend “Penny Black” the unisex fragrance launched by Vinnie Jones for this purpose. It’s not like you are ever going to actually wear it.
The ‘rubbing alcohol’ that some hardware stores sell for some reason I have never discovered isn’t alcohol but isopropanol. This is just as effective as an antibacterial as alcohol. It is less volatile than alcohol so it isn’t quite as convenient. You have to wait longer for it to dry and its smell is more noticeable. But it is still a good option. Like alcohol it works best at a 70% dilution.
The other household product that might have some uses is methylated spirits, which in the UK is routinely coloured purple. This isn’t really suitable for applying to the skin. It contains methyl alcohol and bitter tasting chemicals which could be harmful. It could be used to disinfect a surface though.
There was a time that there were a fair few skin toners on the market with high alcohol content. They might still exist somewhere, but I don’t know of any. Most of the ones that still use alcohol don’t use it at a level that would be effective.
But ultimately the most important thing is to simply keep as clean as possible. I don’t think that the world will run out of alcohol, but if it did soap and water are adequate to the job. If soap weren’t available water would still be reasonably effective.
Hi
I read you can use witch hazel in place of the alcohol, also vitamin e oil to stop the drying effects on skin ?
Not sure if that would be as effective as the alcohol.
Witch Hazel won’t have anything like the potency of alcohol to quickly clean the skin. I think it is useful as a way of making the skin a bit less vulnerable, so it helps a bit. But it is light fence, not a protective wall.
If we want it to be effective and actually protect us, then alcohol can definitely not be avoided.
I’ve been using Eau de Cologne as hand sanitizer, on the advice of a friend who is a perfumer. It’s also available very cheaply, along with little 20ml plastic spray bottles to keep in your pocket. I’ve bought a 750ml bottle of generic Spanish eau de cologne for £5 via Amazon. (Other vendors are available, obviously)
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