Follow up question: Does a sanitizer lose its potency if I use it too frequently?
I operate a supermarket in India and me and my staff have been relying heavily on regular sanitizer use. I want to know how a sanitizer actually helps against viruses in general and against the SARS-CoV-2. And how effective is it?
In: Biology
“Kill” is a metaphor. Think of the sanitizer *breaking* the virus instead.
Follow up question: no.
Viruses are often considered to exist in a “gray area” between chemistry and life; ultimately, it all depends on how you classify “living things.”
In order to properly combat viruses, you need to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol (preferably around 90% alcohol)–some “sanitizers” contain less alcohol, or even no alcohol at all, so check the containers carefully. The alcohol basically dissolves the outer shell of the viruses, so that they essentially fall apart and are no longer a threat.
Alcohol-based sanitizers DO help to kill viral cells on your hands, including the various corona viruses, but they are not guaranteed to kill 100% of viral particles. Most medical experts still recommend that you wash your hands regularly, rather than relying strictly upon hand sanitizers.
a virus is a collection of genetic material wrapped in an envelope of protein and maybe fat. a hand sanitiser (and also soap and water) breaks up the envelope and the genetic material dissipates and becomes harmless
These viruses are protected by a lipid outer layer (fat) and the sanitizer or soap used strips the outer layer away, allowing the water in the sanitiser or washing with soap to bridge into the cell, taking the sanitiser or soap with it, and kill it.
This is why 70% IDA is better at killing than 100% IDA, the 100% has no water to create the bridge into the cell.
The trick is that the sanitizer is destroying the outer shell of the virus and as such the whole virus collapses.
For your question of lose its potency: Yes, it will lose its potency if you reuse the same sanitizer over and over but it won’t lose its potency if you do replenish it. Unlike bacteria with antibiotics where the bacteria can become resistant to the antibiotics, that is different way of destroying them what sanatizer does do.
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