Coronavirus not killed by Tito's Vodka, so don't use it for hand sanitizer, company says
Tito’s Handmade Vodka is 40% alcohol, but homemade sanitizers need at least 60% alcohol
Tito's Vodka is warning its consumers not to use its vodka to make hand sanitizer because it only contains 40-percent alcohol instead of the recommended 60-percent by the Centers for Disease Control.
Tito’s Handmade Vodka warned customers this week that its liquor isn’t strong enough to kill the coronavirus.
The company tweeted on Wednesday evening that its product doesn’t have a high enough alcohol content to be included in homemade hand sanitizers that people are making as COVID-19 cases continue to spread.
“Per the CDC, hand sanitizer needs to contain at least 60% alcohol,” the company tweeted. “Tito's Handmade Vodka is 40% alcohol, and therefore does not meet the current recommendation of the CDC.”
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Tito's Handmade Vodka warned customers against using its product in their homemade hand sanitizers because it doesn't have a high enough alcohol content. (Robin Marchant/Getty Images for Ark Endeavors)
The message was a direct response to several Twitter users who said they were going to use the vodka for their own hand sanitizers.
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With the spread of the coronavirus, hand sanitizers have been all but wiped out from store shelves.
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As an alternative, there are a few do-it-yourself recipes that are safe to make -- however the CDC recommends hand washing is preferred over sanitizers unless hand-washing stations aren’t “readily available.”
Dr. Jenelle Kim, the founder and lead formulator at JBK Wellness Labs in San Diego, previously told FOX Business that “it's totally understandable to go this DIY route and be precautious.”
Kim said that ethyl alcohol is the most effective for killing viral germs, but vodka and witch hazel can be used.
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