BOOM

Trending Searches

    SUPPORT
    BOOM

    Trending News

      • Fact Check 
        • Fast Check
        • Politics
        • Business
        • Entertainment
        • Social
        • Sports
        • World
      • Law
      • Explainers
      • News 
        • All News
      • Decode 
        • Impact
        • Scamcheck
        • Life
        • Voices
      • Media Buddhi 
        • Digital Buddhi
        • Senior Citizens
        • Videos
      • Web Stories
      • BOOM Research
      • BOOM Labs
      • Deepfake Tracker
      • Videos 
        • Facts Neeti
      • Home-icon
        Home
      • About Us-icon
        About Us
      • Authors-icon
        Authors
      • Team-icon
        Team
      • Careers-icon
        Careers
      • Internship-icon
        Internship
      • Contact Us-icon
        Contact Us
      • Methodology-icon
        Methodology
      • Correction Policy-icon
        Correction Policy
      • Non-Partnership Policy-icon
        Non-Partnership Policy
      • Cookie Policy-icon
        Cookie Policy
      • Grievance Redressal-icon
        Grievance Redressal
      • Republishing Guidelines-icon
        Republishing Guidelines
      • Fact Check-icon
        Fact Check
        Fast Check
        Politics
        Business
        Entertainment
        Social
        Sports
        World
      • Law-icon
        Law
      • Explainers-icon
        Explainers
      • News-icon
        News
        All News
      • Decode-icon
        Decode
        Impact
        Scamcheck
        Life
        Voices
      • Media Buddhi-icon
        Media Buddhi
        Digital Buddhi
        Senior Citizens
        Videos
      • Web Stories-icon
        Web Stories
      • BOOM Research-icon
        BOOM Research
      • BOOM Labs-icon
        BOOM Labs
      • Deepfake Tracker-icon
        Deepfake Tracker
      • Videos-icon
        Videos
        Facts Neeti
      Trending Tags
      TRENDING
      • #Operation Sindoor
      • #Pahalgam Terror Attack
      • #Narendra Modi
      • #Rahul Gandhi
      • #Waqf Amendment Bill
      • #Arvind Kejriwal
      • #Deepfake
      • #Artificial Intelligence
      • Home
      • World
      • False: Mixing Rum, Bleach And...
      World

      False: Mixing Rum, Bleach And Fabric Softener Makes Hand-Sanitiser

      Health experts warn the mixtures are potentially harmful and are not effective in protecting against COVID-19 infection.

      By - AFP |
      Published -  20 April 2020 3:06 PM IST
    • Boomlive
      False: Mixing Rum, Bleach And Fabric Softener Makes Hand-Sanitiser
      A video has been have been viewed thousands of times on Facebook alongside a claim it shows how to make a hand sanitiser that is effective in protecting against the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. The video appears to show someone mixing rum, bleach and fabric softener in a bottle before rubbing the solution on their hands. The claim is false; health experts warn that such homemade hand sanitisers can be harmful to a person's health.


      The clip was shared here on Facebook on March 23, 2020. It has been viewed more than 16,000 times.

      Below is a screenshot of the misleading post:

      Screenshot of Facebook post

      The three-minute 44-second video is captioned: "Tanduay+zonrox+downy=sanitizer / Let's see if COVID-19 doesn't work against this newly discovered sanitizer.."

      It appears to show a person mixing Zonrox-brand bleach with Tanduay, a brand of rum produced in the Philippines. A voice speaking in Visayan, a Philippine language, can be heard saying that adding fabric softener to the mixture can help mask the smell. The person is then seen rubbing the mixture onto their hands.

      COVID-19 was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. It has since killed more than 30,039 people and infected 638,146 others worldwide, according to data from the World Health Organization on March 30, 2020.

      ALSO READ: No, Bill Gates has not called the coronavirus a 'great corrector'

      The WHO has recommended the use of alcohol-based hand sanitiser to protect against infection.

      Similar videos showing people mixing rum and bleach to make a purported hand sanitiser have also been shared on Facebook here, here, here, here and here; and on YouTube here, here and here with a similar claim that it can protect against COVID-19 infection.

      The claim is false; health experts warn the mixtures shown in the videos are potentially harmful to health and are not effective in protecting against COVID-19 infection.

      In response to the misleading videos circulating online, the Integrated Chemists of the Philippines (ICP) issued a statement on March 23, 2020 saying the homemade mixture is not an effective hand sanitiser.

      It states, in part: "Alcoholic products contain only about 40% alcohol and lack the concentration needed for a hand sanitizer… Such products which are below the required 70% alcohol concentration should NOT BE USED as hand sanitiser."

      The ICP released another statement highlighting the dangers of the solution on its Facebook page on March 24, 2020, alongside a screenshot of one of the misleading videos.

      Part of the release reads: "Don't Imitate. Deadly. Mixing bleach and alcohol creates chloroform, a chemical that is dangerous and toxic when inhaled or rubbed on skin."

      Below is a screenshot of the ICP's Facebook post:

      Screenshot of ICP statement

      The Philippine Food and Drug Administration's guidelines dated March 25 states only "duly authorised establishments, licenced retail drug outlets such as drugstores/pharmacies/boticas and similar establishments" may prepare hand sanitisers.

      It adds that hand sanitisers "shall be compounded using only pharmaceutical-grade ingredients", and that the agency "strongly discourages the addition of other ingredients... as these may impact the quality and potency of the product".

      Below are screenshots of the relevant sections of the government recommendation:

      Screenshot of FDA guidelines

      Tanduay, a Philippine rum manufacturer, and Green Cross, the company that produces Zonrox bleach, both issued warnings against using the mixture.

      Tanduay issued a statement on its Facebook page on March 23, saying it "strongly advises against mixing Tanduay Rhum with bleach, hand sanitiser or other chemicals. This WILL NOT produce a viable disinfectant against the COVID-19 virus. On the contrary, this may cause serious harm, therefore should not be attempted."

      Below is a screenshot of the Tanduay release:

      Screenshot of statement

      Green Cross released a similar warning, that states, in part: "We strongly advise everyone not to follow nor believe the video. Mixing bleach with ethyl alcohol (present in rum) will form a dangerous chemical that has toxic effects if ingested, inhaled or absorbed through skin. Therefore the resulting solution is not acceptable as a disinfectant."

      Below is a screenshot of the Green Cross statement:

      Screenshot of statement

      (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by BOOM staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

      Tags

      COVID-19
      Read Full Article
      Claim :   Mixing rum, bleach and fabric softener is an effective hand sanitiser.
      Claimed By :  Facebook, YouTube
      Fact Check :  False
      Next Story
      Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors.
      Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker. Please reload after ad blocker is disabled.
      X

      Subscribe to BOOM Newsletters

      👉 No spam, no paywall — but verified insights.

      Please enter a Email Address
      Subscribe for free!

      Stay Ahead of Misinformation!

      Please enter a Email Address
      Subscribe Now🛡️ 100% Privacy Protected | No Spam, Just Facts
      By subscribing, you agree with the Terms & conditions and Privacy Policy connected to the offer

      Thank you for subscribing!

      You’re now part of the BOOM community.

      Or, Subscribe to receive latest news via email
      Subscribed Successfully...
      Copy HTMLHTML is copied!
      There's no data to copy!