At KPRC 2, we’re dedicated to keeping Houstonians informed. As part of our Ask 2 series, the newsroom will answer your questions about all things Houston.
The question: Does hand sanitizer go bad if left in the car?
Recommended Videos
The answer: According to Texas A&M University College of Medicine, yes.
Many experts weighed in on how hand sanitizer reacts to heat inside a vehicle and found out that combustibility is likely a non-issue.
However, the ingredients may degrade over a certain period of time, according to Texas A&M Family Medicine Physician Dr. Jason McKnight.
“If you look at what they call the auto-combustion temperature of ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol, which are the two that are most commonly in hand sanitizers, those are 600 and 700 degrees Fahrenheit.” McKnight told Texas A&M Today, “Even in the middle of the summer, your car is never going to get to that point where that’s going to be a concern.”
McKnight said that long-term direct sun exposure can degrade the ingredients in hand sanitizer. Keeping the bottle in a shaded area inside the car such as your glove box is probably a better idea.
The CDC recommends storing your hand sanitizer in a safe place and away from open flame or fire, as it is potentially flammable.
Do you have a question? Send it our way, and we will try to hunt down an answer.
_