NATIONWIDE – A viral Facebook post from a Wisconsin fire department has sparked concerns over leaving hand sanitizer inside vehicles during a hot day.
What You Need To Know
- Photo from Brazil shows melted car door
- Hand sanitizer came in contact with open flame
- Flash point of hand sanitizer is 570 degrees
- Vehicle can reach up to 140 degrees on a 95-degree day
The picture from Brazil shows a melted car door in result of hand sanitizer that came in contact with an open flame inside an already hot vehicle.
The Wester Lakes Fire District warns that because it's an alcohol-based flammable product, hand sanitizer should not be left inside a hot vehicle.
The San Antonio Fire Department responded to that inquiry from Spectrum News, stating that the idea is not completely true. The flash point of the average hand sanitizer is 570 degrees.
According to studies, on a 95-degree day the inside temperature of a vehicle can reach up to 129 degrees within 30 minutes. That temperature levels off at 140 degrees after about an hour.
SAFD also referred to an educational video provided by the National Fire Protection Association, which explains the flammability of hand sanitizer. In the five-minute explainer, it shows how an increase in gallons or exposure to direct fire can increase the danger of hand sanitizer igniting.
So, can you leave hand sanitizer in your car? With caution.