FAQs

What’s the difference between gel and spray?

Can I add something to make the liquid into gel? Why?  We now sell 70% gel!

Why no scent?

Can I add my own scent?

Food Grade Alcohol, US Grown, California Produced

CALI Distillery is an FDA-registered producer of 80% ethanol liquid sanitizer (NDC #74500) and 70% Ethanol gel sanitizer. Our sanitizers are produced to the WHO-approved formulation using only the highest food-grade ethanol. Our ethanol is distilled from 100% US grown and milled corn. We use no fuel grade or synthetic alcohol, only pure food-grade alcohol. Our sanitizer is produced in our own facility here in Gardena, California. Because we are local, we are capable of offering on-demand delivery schedules as tight as one or two days from order to delivery.

What is the Difference Between the Liquid Spray and the Gel

Our liquid sanitizer is an 80% ethanol solution, compounded with Glycerin, Hydrogen Peroxide and Denatonium Benzoate as a denaturant.

Our solution is suitable for use on hands (human skin), and all surfaces. It is specifically recommended by the CDC for use on electronics such as cell phones, tablets, touch screens, remote controls, and keyboards.

CALI Sanitizer is a Ready-to-use (RTU) product – not a concentrated product requiring dilution or mixing parts to make final product.

Efficacy:

The CDC says “an alcohol-based hand rub is preferred over soap and water in most clinical situations due to evidence of better compliance compared to soap and water. Hand rubs are generally less irritating to hands and are effective in the absence of a sink”

The CDC recommends 80% liquid alcohol solution as a disinfectant on surfaces such as:

• • For hard non porous surfaces
  • For soft porous surfaces
  • For electronics such as cell phones, tablets, touch screens, remote controls, and keyboards
  • For hands and other human skin

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 80% ethanol liquid alcohol solution as a disinfectant for COVID 19 for hands and surfaces.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends 80% ethanol liquid alcohol solution as a disinfectant of COVID 19 for hands and surfaces

Why Liquid 80% Ethanol instead of 65% Foam or Gel or 70% Isopropyl Alcohol?

According to an NIH article on alcohol sanitizers, (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513254/) lower concentration alcohol solutions (gel, isopropyl 70% etc.) are more effective against bacteria. they work by denaturing the cellular proteins in bacteria and water is needed for that process.

The antimicrobial activity of alcohols can be attributed to their ability to denature and coagulate proteins. The microorganism’s cells are then lysed, and their cellular metabolism is disrupted.  Alcohol solutions containing 60% to 95% alcohol are most effective. Notably, higher concentrations are less potent because proteins are not denatured easily in the absence of water.

But higher concentrations are more effective against virus (like Coronavirus). Ethanol is the most effective against virus, and most effective above 80%.

Ethanol, the most common alcohol ingredient, appears to be the most effective against viruses; whereas, the propanols have a better bactericidal activity than ethanol. None of the alcohols has shown a potential for acquired bacterial resistance. The combination of alcohols may have a synergistic effect. The concentration of alcohol does change the efficacy with one study showing a hand rub with 85% ethanol being significantly better at reducing bacterial populations compared to concentrations of 60% to 62%. ABHS also often contain humectants, like glycerin, which help prevent skin dryness, and emollients or moisturizers, like aloe vera, which help replace some of the water that is stripped by the alcohol

CDC recommends alcohol over soaps, especially for healthcare workers.

The CDC recommends the use of alcohol-based hand rubs containing various emollients and other skin conditioners instead of irritating soaps and detergents as a strategy to reduce skin damage, dryness, and irritation. Damage to the skin can change the skin flora, resulting in more frequent colonization by staphylococci and gram-negative bacilli. Irritant contact dermatitis was lowest with well-formulated, alcohol-based hand rubs containing emollients and other skin conditioners when compared to other methods of hand hygiene according to several studies. This is especially true for healthcare workers, who may wash their hands more than 30 times per shift. Nevertheless, it is recognized that even products containing emollients along with the alcohol may cause a momentary stinging sensation if there are any cuts or abrasions present on the hands. Allergic contact dermatitis associated with alcohol-based hand rubs is uncommon.

NIH also notes that the high moisture content in low concentration gels and foams require lengthy dry times which may reduce compliance

Foams containing 62% ethanol are used for hand decontamination in many countries. They require a long drying time, which may reduce the compliance of healthcare workers in applying the recommended amount of foam. One study found that the time required for dryness often exceeded the recommended 30 seconds. Therefore, to quicken the process, only a small volume is likely to be applied in clinical practice, and small amounts failed to meet the efficacy requirements and were only somewhat more effective than water.

Safety

• CALI Sanitizer has been reviewed by Underwriter Laboratories, and our SDS was produced and endorsed by UL.
• The UL rates CALI Hand Sanitizer as a Personal Care Product with no restrictions on use.
• CALI Sanitizer is rated category 2A for eye hazard level.
• The UL notes in our SDS that ethanol is non carcinogenic unless consumed long term as beverage alcohol.  It is not a safety issue with our product.

Food Service Applications

CALI Sanitizer Spray is based on top quality beverage grade alcohol. It is denatured with the safe bittering agent Deutonium Benzoate rather than with the addition of poisonous alcohols. So unlike bleaches or other chemical sanitizers, CALI Ethanol sanitizer is safe to use in food service applications. In a restaurant environment, CALI Ethanol sanitizer can be sprayed on tables, serving and prep counters, beverage dispensers, seating, menus, utensils, condiment containers, registers, phones, trays and even directly on human skin. CALI can be used anywhere with high potential contact rates with consumers. CALI Ethanol Sanitizer is bittered, but not poisonous.

What’s the small print on the back label?