Hand Sanitiser Gel Out Of Date Query?

[cleobella1]

Hi I have 2 bottles of Hand Sanitiser out of date by 1 year. I do not really want to throw them out if i can help it. Does anybody know if they will be effective Still.? Thanks.

[JimF]

I'd respectfully suggest that you should go with the date that the manufacturers themselves have put on their own product.

If they had thought that it would still be effective for an extra year, don't you think they'd have quoted that date instead?

[Mamyalynne]

Still worth using even though it may not be fully effective due to evaporation until you can get to soap and water or buy more hand sanitiser.

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1256534/Coronavirus-latest-does-hand-sanitiser-go-out-of-date-covid-19-latest

[theprof]

It's perfectly ok and little evaporation of the alcohol will have taken place unless it contained alcohol in excess of 80%, which is extremely unlikely.

The reason that manufacturers quote a use by date on the container is because there are limits to how much contamination the product will endure before it starts to become less effective. In this case, the contamination can arise through touching the top of the container on soiled skin etc or leaving the container uncapped. Bacterial contamination is also an issue. Manufactures are not prepared to take a chance on this as they have no control over how the products is stored or used after purchase. The date is a "best guess".