The most effective and not as toxic hand sanitizer is ethyl alcohol (ethanol) basically “moonshine.” DO NOT USE METHANOL

There’s now science backing humanities use of grain & fruit alcohol to combat viral infections. 

Efficacy of Ethanol Against Viruses in Hand Disinfection 

Ethanol is used worldwide in healthcare facilities for hand rubbing. It has been reported to have a stronger and broader virucidal activity compared with propanols. The aim of this review was to describe the spectrum of virucidal activity of ethanol in solution or as commercially available products. A systematic search was conducted. Studies were selected when they contained original data on reduction of viral infectivity from suspension tests (49 studies) and contaminated hands (17 studies). Ethanol at 80% was highly effective against all 21 tested, enveloped viruses within 30 s. Murine norovirus and adenovirus type 5 are usually inactivated by ethanol between 70% and 90% in 30 s whereas poliovirus type 1 was often found to be too resistant except for ethanol at 95% (all test viruses of EN 14476). Ethanol at 80% is unlikely to be sufficiently effective against poliovirus, calicivirus (FCV), polyomavirus, hepatitis A virus (HAV) and foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). The spectrum of virucidal activity of ethanol at 95%, however, covers the majority of clinically relevant viruses. Additional acids can substantially improve the virucidal activity of ethanol at lower concentrations against, e.g. poliovirus, FCV, polyomavirus and FMDV although selected viruses such as HAV may still be too resistant. The selection of a suitable virucidal hand rub should be based on the viruses most prevalent in a unit and on the user acceptability of the product under frequent-use conditions.

 Keywords: Ethanol; Hand hygiene; Hand rub; Virucidal.

MORE AT NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE 

Coronavirus: 9 Hand Sanitizers May Be Toxic, FDA Says

As millions of Americans continue to search out ways to stay safe from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning that nine brands of hand sanitizer could be toxic, all of which were made in Mexico and might contain methanol.

All nine hand sanitizers are manufactured by Eskbiochem SA de CV in Mexico, according to the FDA release. The use of methanol as an ingredient in hand sanitizers is forbidden because of its toxic effects, the release also stated. The nine products that prompted the warning are:

-All-Clean Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-002-01)

-Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-007-01)

-CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-008-04)

-Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-006-01)

-The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-010-10)

-CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-005-03)

-CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-009-01)

-CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-003-01)

-Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-001-01)

"Consumers who have been exposed to hand sanitizer containing methanol should seek immediate treatment, which is critical for potential reversal of toxic effects of methanol poisoning," the FDA said in its advisory. "Substantial methanol exposure can result in nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system or death."

For the latest coronavirus information in your county and a full list of important resources to help you make the smartest decisions regarding the disease, check out our dedicated COVID-19 page. 

"Methanol is toxic by two mechanisms. First, methanol can be fatal due to effects on the central nervous system, acting as a central nervous system depressant in the same manner as ethanol poisoning. Second, in a process of toxication, it is metabolized to formic acid (which is present as the formate ion) via formaldehyde in a process initiated by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase in the liver.^[32] Methanol is converted to formaldehyde via alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and formaldehyde is converted to formic acid (formate) via aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). The conversion to formate via ALDH proceeds completely, with no detectable formaldehyde remaining.^[33] Formate is toxic because it inhibits mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase, causing hypoxia at the cellular level, and metabolic acidosis, among a variety of other metabolic disturbances.^[34]"

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Methanol Wikipedia