Will hand sanitiser start a fire if you store it in your car?

Old news, truthfully retold

Illustration: Miles Cole

HOW IT WAS TOLD Bottles of hand sanitiser have been like liquid gold since the Covid-19 pandemic reached the UK early this year. Advice to wash hands thoroughly to stop the spread of the virus meant that shelves were emptied and prices were hiked as worried Brits snapped up as much as they could get their hands on. But recent reports suggest that hand sanitiser may be considered more like rocket fuel this summer. Mail Online’s sensational headline set the tone, stressing that hand sanitiser poses a fire risk if left in cars during a heatwave. They opted for: “Warning: Hand sanitiser could EXPLODE if left in hot cars – and the heat will almost certainly render it useless”. They weren’t the only ones to warn against keeping a bottle in the glove box –…

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The Big Issue United Kingdom (Digital) - 1 Issue, 08-06-20

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