After Purell Sells Out, Titos Says Stop Using Vodka As Hand Sanitizer

Americans have been panic buying masks, Purell, and food in the last several weeks as pandemic fears soar. We showed over the weekend how thousands of people rushed to Costco stores across the country to load up on supplies.

3M N-95 masks have been in short supply since late January, as much of the US mask stockpile was depleted last month.

The latest run on products started with Purell last week. Brick and mortar and e-commerce stores ran out of the hand sanitizer made of an ethyl alcohol solution. As a result of surging demand and now shortages, it forced many people to experiment at-home in concocting their own hand sanitizer blend with vodka.

Austin-based Tito’s Vodka noticed Twitter users in the last 24 hours were using their spirits to make at-home sanitizers. Tito’s social media team was quick to inform anyone who was experimenting with Tito’s products that the concentration of alcohol in the products wasn’t high enough to be rated as an effective sanitizer. “Per the CDC, hand sanitizer needs to contain at least 60% alcohol. Tito’s Handmade Vodka is 40% alcohol, and therefore does not meet the current recommendation of the CDC,” Tito’s Vodka tweeted.

Per the CDC, hand sanitizer needs to contain at least 60% alcohol. Tito’s Handmade Vodka is 40% alcohol, and therefore does not meet the current recommendation of the CDC. Please see attached for more information. pic.twitter.com/DtpfsAHZKJ

— TitosVodka (@TitosVodka) March 5, 2020

“As soon as we saw the incorrect articles and social posts, we wanted to set the record straight,” a spokesperson for Tito’s said in a statement provided to The Dallas Morning News. “While it would be good for business for our fans to use massive quantities of Tito’s for hand sanitizer, it would be a shame to waste the good stuff, especially if it doesn’t sanitize (which it doesn’t, per the CDC).”

Per the CDC, hand sanitizer needs to contain at least 60% alcohol. Tito’s Handmade Vodka is 40% alcohol, and therefore does not meet the current recommendation of the CDC. Please see attached for more information. pic.twitter.com/QNEFOXxYPQ

— TitosVodka (@TitosVodka) March 5, 2020

Per the CDC, hand sanitizer needs to contain at least 60% alcohol. Tito’s Handmade Vodka is 40% alcohol, and therefore does not meet the current recommendation of the CDC. Please see attached for more information. pic.twitter.com/J5ifkV3Jah

— TitosVodka (@TitosVodka) March 5, 2020

Per the CDC, hand sanitizer needs to contain at least 60% alcohol. Tito’s Handmade Vodka is 40% alcohol, and therefore does not meet the current recommendation of the CDC. Please see attached for more information. pic.twitter.com/96uldE8uMe

— TitosVodka (@TitosVodka) March 4, 2020

As the fast-spreading virus infects America, what products will people hoard this coming weekend? We’re sure more videos will surface on social media of runs on stores.