Here’s why you shouldn’t buy 99% alcohol - and what you should get instead
While my personal preference is to avoid alcohol in my skincare products, it’s an important item for helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Unfortunately, people have been panic-buying and hoarding bottles at the grocery, leaving others to find other means to buy alcohol. You’ve probably seen people selling commercial alcohol online at unreasonable prices, but did you also notice those posts with gallons of 99% alcohol? Don’t buy that until you’ve read this.
First off, it’s important NOT to support unscrupulous sellers who take advantage of the panic to sell goods at a higher value. Profiteering is illegal, and supporting these “businesses” will only encourage the sellers to continue their crime. According to the FDA, the price for 500ml of 70% ethyl alcohol should be no more than P74.25. If you see posts that sell them from higher, these should be reported to DTI at their 1-384 hotline. Remember that these informal sellers can not only prey on people with overpriced goods, but they can also expose their buyers to harm if the products aren’t properly tested or have been tampered with.
Secondly, hand washing (for 20 seconds, with soap) is still the best way to kill germs. Only use an alcohol-based sanitizer if clean water is not readily available, and make sure the formulation is at least a 60% alcohol for it to be effective.
So, if the minimum efficacy for alcohol is 60%, won’t 99% alcohol be better? Surprisingly, it’s actually the opposite! 60% to 70% is the ideal concentration, because when the alcohol is mixed with (clean) water, it won’t evaporate as fast as when it’s almost pure. Remember how some sunscreens have alcohol in the ingredients list? This is to make the product dry faster. Unfortunately, the faster the alcohol dries, the less time it actually has to kill the microbes on the applied area.
The ethyl and isopropyl alcohols you can find in the grocery (when they’re not being hoarded) are usually in the 60% to 70% range, and also contain other ingredients like moisturizers and perfume to make them more pleasant to use. In contrast, 99% alcohol is often used to clean items that can’t make contact with water, like computer parts and electronic devices. The ability to quickly dry makes it possible to clean items without introducing moisture, but this also means that you can’t store this alcohol for very long. Even though it’s tightly capped, the alcohol will eventually evaporate.
If you want to make your own hand sanitizer with the 99% alcohol, the WHO actually has a guide on how to do just that, However, a lot of the ingredients and materials are not easily accessible to the public, so I think it’s best to buy from reputable sellers when possible.
I hope this quick guide helps you to make smart buying choices and to stay safe! Remember that in any crisis, it’s important to stay calm and to think rationally. Please don’t hoard alcohol and other supplies, unless you’re going to give them out and ensure that everyone else has access. You’re only as protected from COVID-19 as the other people around you are.
Photography by Nicole Quindara
