I noticed a similar problem with the Scotts’ brand which was sold at Bunnings during the peak of the chaos and remains available at Chemist Warehouse, Dick Smiths and others.
You’ll notice the first link lists its composition as 70% alcohol but the second link as 62%. On the label (at least the one I used) it doesn’t actually claim any alcohol content at all. Meanwhile the SDS on the manufacturer site states ‘>50% Ethanol’ and ‘30% - 60% Ingredients determined not to be hazardous’.
Sounds to me like they don’t know how much ethanol they’re putting in, which is an issue since at least 60% is needed to kill coronavirus.
I have seen other SDS for hand sanitiser (not from Pascoes who have a lot of different retail brands) which have concerning ranges of alcohol that makes me wonder what the actual alcohol content of the product is. For the sake of the people who have brought it I really hope that it is at least the recommended amount of alcohol.
Some proper guidance from government on labeling and testing from a regulator would be helpful I think.
I want to know with so many hand wash liquid soaps on the market advertised as antibacterial and to clarify i don’t mean instant sanitizers,I mean example Palmolive as a brand and they have one advertised. eg. Palmolive foaming antibacterial hand wash lime & mint pump…Reason i am questioning is that normal instant sanitizers are claiming to be misleading with the amount of alcohol content contained. So does the testing currently underway include liquid hand pumps like the above mentioned. I see so many liquid hand wash advertised as antibacterial. I am curious to know if ordinary or non antibacterial wash do the same job just like a bar of soap. For the mean time i will continue to use normal washs.
I purchased a few small bottles of dettol sanitizer earlier this year I couldn’t stand the purfume I threw them out. I will never buy them again. Either way I have been told as I am carer on the road travelling and using soap and water is more effective if it can be done. Instant sanitizers seem easier because it is quick.
Regarding typical ‘anti-bacterial’ products, this TGA page may be enlightening. My take-away is that there are no standards to be met for such generalised ‘statements’.
Thanks for the information it is explained in simple terms. It still wonders me how many instant wash based cleaning products are misleading. Hence why choice is testing.
Antibacterial hand washes if they are effective don’t just kill the harmful bacteria but also the normal biome on the skin. This can have bad effects for immunity and skin health. Dr Karl offered the opinion that using normal soap to remove the greasy layer was best as the normal biome is not greatly disturbed. As the WHO are saying the best method to cleanse for COVID-19 is soap and water, and yes this for a virus but this is still the recommendation for cleansing in other circumstances as well.
Liquid soaps or what is often referred to locally as handwash can be used where soap is not available. The WHO indicates ‘Where ABHR (alcohol based hand rub) or bar soap is not feasible, a liquid soap solution, mixing detergent with water, can be used. The ratio of detergent to water will depend on types and strengths of locally available product.’
It is worth noting that medical facilities (doctors surgeries, hospitals etc) use liquid soap/handwash instead of a bar of soap to reduce the likelihood of cross-infection between patients. Liquid soap/handwash can be dispensed with automatically (sensor) or with a bump bar using the upper arm.
I know what you mean. I doubt my current employer is going to buy hospital quality hand washes, so use what I have. Pretty silly in my opinion as I am still dealing with human fluids. But they provide what they need.
A soap and water wash is often enough if you wash your hands properly ie the WHO don’t say use x y or z soap they just say use soap and water for helping control contamination., hospital grade washes are probably going very hard at the issue. Things like Ebola of course require much more stringent infection control as they are fatal in the vast majority of cases, but this includes gowns, taping of gaps, full face coverage and when people are infected with COVID-19 similar precautions are followed. If you are handling bodily fluids then infection control should be heightened including gloves, face protection, spill/splash protection.
Yes very true. I have a question for you about how choice is going to be testing various sanitiser because they say normally they receive no testing before entering the market. Do you think measures will go far enough to test every wash /sanitizer because no one else is testing.
They are testing Hand Sanitisers so I don’t think this includes handwash products as well into that mix. And this only will happen if they have enough funds to do so. I would guess their aim is to test as many as they can and they have asked for donations to help further their testing. They note in the article I am linking to in the second link that each test and result and publication of such costs $730 per item. In regards to handwashes your suggestion will have been noted by CHOICE and I’m sure they will be interested in undertaking such a task, but again finances will be the greatest limiting factor.
They also advise that “For our next round of tests, we’ll narrow down the list of tip-offs to those that appear particularly doubtful or have been called out repeatedly by our allies and supporters – meaning you”
The link to the article has been posted previously in this topic but in case anyone has gone past it not realising it, it is re-posted here:
I hope that helps answer your question, and I’m also sure you will see some comment, if needed, by CHOICE if anything requires clarifying or to give you feedback.
I’m amazed what you people on here know. Actually I have a question about spam text messages on my mobile phone. I have my settings allowing it to block and report them. But I regularly seem to be getting more and more in recent times. I’m not sure if you have any idea if you are highly tech savvy. I understand the phone enough how to use it but I have never seen as many spam messages in my whole life.
One reason is that ‘problem’ spammers migrate to multiple phone numbers. A block only affects one of them. Block one and they will eventually send spam using another. Since there is an endless supply of numbers they can and do use, it is akin to a whack-a-mole game.
A second ‘spam’ source are legitimate companies where one signed up or bought something from them and allowed them to contact you as a customer. Those usually are accompanied by the ability to reply with a STOP message, or a web link to unsubscribe. IME those have always ceased in a short time.
Hi there just letting you know and other members I have disgarded a particular brand of sanitizer was pretty awful breathing in the vapours as it was sprayed rather than liquid form and rubbed in. I would not recommend purchasing
I’m not sure who tells who here but I surely recommend not buying this brand as sanitizer. I know choice is trying to test all brands but it’s bad in my opinion.
It is worth noting that COVID-19 is a virus and not a bacteria, and such sanitiser (if antibacterial claims can be substanted) aren’t recommended for use against COVID-19.
