OMG Hand sanitizer damage

[elliemom]

I am a nurse, so I am a hand washer by nature. My DH and boys are hand washers as well. Recently when the swine flu was on everyone's mind I bought a pump bottle of Purell and put it on my divider wall between Kitchen and family room. I used it occassionally but politely pointed it out to guests to use.

I went to move it today and was shocked when I picked it up. It removed 3 layers of paint from the divider. 3 layers!!! It took it almost down to the bare wood. I can't imagine what that stuff is doing to our hands!!!! No wonder it kills bacteria, it is TOXIC!!!!! Yikes

Soap and water and FRICTION is the way to go!!!

ellie

 

[syzygy314]

Woah! I never saw it do that before! I guess none of that lasts around our office long enough for it to do that! Wow! I am now a firm believer in JUST soap and water and a little longer in the bathroom, thank you very much! Do you think it's the alcohol in the product?

Ouch!

Tricia

 

[elliemom]

It's a clear liquid, so I'm guessing that some dripped down without me noticing. But I am a clean freak, so I know it was no longer than 2 days that the bottle sat there. Seems pretty quick to eat thru 3 layers of paint.

I just looked at the bottle and the active ingredient is ethyl alcohol, but one of the inactive ingredients is isopropyl alcohol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone want to come over for a drink!!!!! LOL

ellie

 

[JennieR]

I can't use hand sanitizer. It dries my hands out something fierce. I only use it if there's no soap and water available.

 

[babindy]

I believe it's mostly alcohol. The kind you drink (there was an article about how it's the 'thing' for some kids. can't imagine drinking the stuff). So imagine if you had some sticky booze sitting around. I suppose that could take the paint off

 

[bonvivant]

Funny story. Everything has a Wiki these days: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purell http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_rub

 

[coloradomama]

I just looked at the bottle and the active ingredient is ethyl alcohol, but one of the inactive ingredients is isopropyl alcohol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ellie, isopropyl alcohol is what I used in the lab to take the permanent marker (what I used to mark what solutions were in which bottles) off of the glass and plastic bottles. But I used rubber gloves when using it!

 

[Sheila S]

Rubbing alcohol is 70% isopropyl alcohol.
Probably overly drying and not to be used on broken skin (clearly long term contact can ruin some wood finishes) but I don't think it's considered toxic unless taken internally.