Hand Sanitizer and Hot Cars, Grills and Open Flames Are Dangerous

DEM Blogger

May 21, 2020

One of our past most popular posts has been about things NOT to leave in your car during hot weather.  Soda, bottled water, alcoholic beverages, candy, medicines, sunglasses, cell phones, computers and many other things can be damaged or become harmful in a hot car.

We have one thing to add: Hand Sanitizer – Especially large bottles of it.

By its nature, most hand sanitizer is alcohol-based and therefore flammable. Keeping it in your car during hot weather, exposing it to sun causing magnification of light through the bottle, and particularly being next to open flame while smoking in vehicles or grilling while enjoying this weekend can lead to disaster.  The photo shows what happens when a bottle of hand sanitizer ignites in a car.

The alcohol in hand sanitizer burns extremely hot and the flame is nearly invisible. Your hands can be on fire and you won’t realize it until you’re burned.

Here’s a story from a Miami TV station on these dangers.
(NOTE: Don’t try this at home)

National Fire Protection Association Warnings on hand sanitizer:
https://youtu.be/1P3GjIBKwI8

Some content coourtesy: WPLG-10 and Western Lakes Fire District, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.