Using hand sanitisers to limit disease is a good health practice and had only peaked during the pandemic. Many people prefer to keep a sanitiser bottle handy and often store one in their cars. While it seems like a good precautionary measure, there may be some risks involved. Let’s find out why leaving a hand sanitiser in a car for a long time is a bad idea.
Leaving Hand Sanitiser in the Car
Sanitiser effectively kills germs and alleviates the chances of spreading diseases. For many people, hand sanitisers have become a necessary item to carry around. To this end, they usually store a sanitiser bottle in their cars as well.
Due to the COVID situation, the usage has increased even further, and a new concern has risen – what are the dangers of leaving hand sanitiser in heat and should you keep them in the car? Let’s explore the answer.
Leaving hand sanitiser in the car may cause a fire
While other countries are not particularly worried that leaving hand sanitisers in a vehicle can ignite fires, the UAE is practising caution. Given the hot climate of the country, the concern is not baseless.
As per the Abu Dhabi Police, the gloves and hand sanitisers are flammable and if left in a car for a long period in hot weather directly under the sun, they may catch fire. The authorities claim that sanitisers contain alcoholic compounds which makes them one of the things that should not be left in the car due to their flammable nature. This is supported by the fire safety requirements.
The authorities further urge the people to keep the car windows slightly open when parked directly under the sun. Other items that motorists are advised not to leave in the car include lighters and perfumes.
How can sanitisers start a fire in a car
Sanitisers that are effective against a variety of microorganisms must contain at least 70 percent ethanol. Since ethanol is flammable, the product is also at risk of catching fire. Ethanol also has vapour pressure and boiling point significantly lower than water. This makes the sanitiser easier to evaporate.
In extremely high temperatures, pressure can build up in the bottle of a sanitiser and ultimately rupture it. However, there will be no combustion unless there is static electricity or a naked flame to set fire to the expelled material.
Hence, the hand sanitiser material safety data sheet (MSDS) recommends storing them in well-ventilated and cool spaces.
Hand sanitiser may go bad in the heat
The other problem with leaving hand sanitiser in a hot car pertains to its effectiveness. AIn addition to being flammable, it is also highly volatile. Therefore, it is likely to evaporate really quickly in a heated car. Since alcohol is also the component responsible for killing germs, leaving a hand sanitiser in a car in hot weather is likely to make it less effective.
Furthermore, the other ingredient in a sanitiser crucial for the efficient killing of germs is hydrogen peroxide. This latter component is liable to react with the UV light and turn to water. With both the main germ-killers gone, the sanitiser will go bad in the hot weather. Therefore, it is never a good idea for car interior protection to store hand sanitisers under direct sunlight.
By now, you must have a clear idea why leaving hand sanitiser in the car, especially in hot weather, is not recommended. In addition to buying car protective gear, you can keep your car clean and organised with these affordable car accessories for sale.
Stay tuned to the UAE’s best cars blog for more news and information about vehicles.
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