Using hand sanitizer wipes multiple times?

[skip fox]

If you have a baggie to put one in after the initial use, it could stay wet.

Would this be effective?

[KT2000]

1. Good question.

I complained to our local hospital after seeing a man with possible MRSA in the waiting room. After a wait they took him into the ER and right after that a woman came out and wiped down about 12 chairs with one wipe, starting with his. The response was that any bacteria would be dead when the wipe solution on the chair dries. I did not believe them and I doubt testing has been done to verify what they said.
Anyway, I guess we would need to know more about how these products kill or not, bacteria and viruses.

[hlthe2b]

3. See my comment below re: organic matter and efficacy...

Wiping down seats should be done with a disinfectant. NOT a sanitizer.

Chlorine bleach or Lysol type wipes would be ok.

[hlthe2b]

2. Active ingredient is alcohol, which is bacteriocidal & virucidal when it remains in

contact with the skin (dries on the skin) at least five minutes (for bacteria and probably a bit longer for virus effects).

Alcohol would evaporate pretty quickly, even in a sealed plastic bag.

That said, the biggest obstacle is dirt on your hands. Sanitizers, unlike disinfectants, only reduce the infectious agent to a safe level. They don't kill all bacteria (or viruses). They are rendered ineffective if there is a lot of organic matter present, which even visibly clean hands could still have. So, every time you reuse one, you likely have already left a layer of organic matter (dirt) from the previous use.

I think you should rightly consider them SINGLE USE.

[KT2000]

4. Thanks for the information

[skip fox]

5. Yes. Thanks.

[burrowowl]

6. Remains me of a story a nurse told

about a soldier in WWII, they were given 3 condoms for weekend leave, one came back with syphilis and was asked why he didn’t use his condoms, he said he did but he had sex 4 times and turned one inside side out.