Skateboarding vs. Superbugs: Protect Yourself with Rx Skanitizer - DIY Hand Sanitizer

Skateboarding vs. Superbugs: Protect Yourself with Rx Skanitizer – DIY Hand Sanitizer

Skateboarding is all about freedom, creativity, and the thrill of exploring the urban landscape. However, that comes with exposure to the unseen dangers of city streets. Whether you’re skating your favorite spot or exploring new territory, you’re in constant contact with obstacles and the ground — all of which can be teeming with unseen germs. While scrapes and falls are part of the fun, ensuring you don’t catch something should be a priority.

In the age of pandemic awareness, hand sanitizer has become common place, but commercial hand sanitizers aren’t perfect. Often, they contain potential toxic ingredients and synthetic fragrances. They can leave a sticky residue, irritate your skin, trigger allergic reactions, or not even work.

Why Do Skateboarders Need Hand Sanitizer?

Skateboarders are exposed to a variety of bacteria such as the flesh-eating disease, viruses, and fungi, due to frequent contact with public surfaces.

In this guide, we break down how to protect yourself as we uncover the risks of the most dangerous and deadly bacteria, viruses, and fungi

For a full breakdown of the most infectious diseases and how to protect yourself read A Skater’s Guide to Dangerous Pathogens.

Licking wounds won’t save you from infectious diseases. To protect yourself, washing your hands with soap under warm running water for at least 20 seconds is more effective than hand sanitizer. However, hand sanitizer can be used to disinfect minor cuts and scrapes when antiseptic or water and soap is not available.

Why Make Your Own Hand Sanitizer?

There are no many reasons why you should make your own hand sanitizer, it’s easier to just list them.

Potential Toxic Ingredients:

Methanol Contamination: Some poorly regulated hand sanitizers, especially those from unreliable sources, have been found to contain methanol (wood alcohol), which is toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested.
Triclosan: While less common nowadays, some sanitizers may contain triclosan, an antimicrobial agent linked to antibiotic resistance and hormonal disruptions. It’s generally better to avoid hand sanitizers with triclosan.

Fragrances:

Skin Irritation and Allergies: Many hand sanitizers contain synthetic fragrances to mask the strong smell of alcohol. However, these perfumes can cause skin irritation, especially in people with sensitive skin or allergies.
Potential Respiratory Issues: For those with asthma or sensitivities to strong scents, fragranced sanitizers can trigger respiratory discomfort or headaches.
Masking Alcohol Scent: While fragrances are added to make the sanitizer smell better, they can also make it harder to identify spoiled or contaminated products, which may not smell as strongly of alcohol as they should.

Viscosity:

Sticky Residue: Some gel-based hand sanitizers contain thickeners like carbomers or glycerin to achieve a gel-like texture. However, these can leave a sticky or greasy residue on the hands after use, which can be uncomfortable.
Uneven Application: Thicker gels may not spread as easily as liquid-based sanitizers, potentially leading to uneven coverage, leaving some areas less protected.
Drying Time: Higher viscosity sanitizers may take longer to dry, which can reduce their effectiveness if users don’t wait for them to dry completely before touching surfaces.

Guaranteed Effectiveness:

Hand sanitizers with 60% to 70% ethanol (ethyl alcohol) or isopropyl alcohol are effective at killing a broad spectrum of pathogens. At concentrations below 60%, the sanitizer may not effectively break down the protective outer layers of bacteria and viruses, rendering it less effective. Higher concentrations (above 80%) are not necessarily more effective because they evaporate too quickly, which reduces the contact time needed to kill pathogens.

Cost-Effective and Eco-Friendly:

Making your own reduces waste and is often cheaper than buying commercial brands.

DIY Hand Sanitizer Recipe

Rx’s Skanitizer (home hand sanitizer) recipe ensures you will have the necessary alcohol concentration (at least 60%) for effective disinfection. It also makes a viscosity that will not lump or clump, allowing the mixture to spread evenly and dry quickly without reside or strong lingering scent.

Ingredients

2/3 cup isopropyl alcohol (99%): Ensures the final mix has at least 60% alcohol.
1/3 cup pure aloe vera gel: Prevents dryness.
Optional: 5-10 drops of essential oil (like lemon, tea tree, or lavender).
Small squeeze or pump bottles for portability.

Instructions