Sanitizing Lotion Bottles & Caps

[KristaY]

I've been using a bleach solution to sanitize my lotion bottles and caps. But in reading "Smart Lotionmaking" by Anne L. Watson, she says:

"For anything other than countertops, 70% alcohol is the safest and most effective sanitizer. Avoid sanitizers like chlorine bleach, quarternary sanitizer, iodophor sanitizer, and medical sanitizers such as chlorhexidine. Even when properly diluted, these products can leave odors, or residues that cause skin reactions."

From a 2010 thread, Andee from The Sage wrote this:

There are a few options available to you to sanitize containers.

1. Dip the containers into Hydrogen Peroxide and allow to dry. Once the containers are dry, you can fill them.
2. Dip the containers into a solution of bleach and water (1 tablespoon bleach per 1 gallon water). You will have to rinse the containers in water before they can be used, because the bleach will interfere with your product's color and scent.
3. Use a No Rinse Sanitizer like Star-San Sanitizer or other such products. This may not work if you have really hard water. You can find products like this a local home brewing supply store or online.

This is the thread: http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=18334&highlight=sanitizing+lotion+bottles

I've also read various threads where people have said they don't need to be sanitized if they're kept in the original shipping bag. I get my bottles from SKS Bottle & Packaging. I've also read not to rinse with tap water as that may introduce bacteria from the pipes.

Now I'm scratching my head. Do I continue with the bleach? Change to alcohol? Peroxide? Not sanitize them at all? What are your thoughts?

 

[Susie]

I spray my lip balm tubes and caps with 91% alcohol, and allow to completely air dry(or I rush them along with the hair dryer ). No odor remains.

 

[new12soap]

I do not rinse or sanitize my containers. They come from reputable suppliers. It is more likely that the more you handle them, the more you will expose them to contamination.

If you do want to continue to rinse them, I would recommend alcohol. It doesn't kill everything but it does kill most things and dries very quickly. I would be concerned about anything else leaving unwanted moisture and/or residue.

 

[lsg]

I spray my counter tops, containers, lids and utensils with alcohol.

 

[shunt2011]

I too spray everything (jars, bottle, lids, counter, utensils, pots, pans, dishes) with 91% alcohol.

 

[CanaDawn]

In the lab we use 70% ethanol to sterilize counters and safety hood surfaces.
I wouldn't use a hairdryer because of the likelyhood, imo, of putting debris back onto the clean surface.
Unless you are purchasing sterile packed containers, the ethanol is probably the better option than nothing.

 

[KristaY]

Thanks everyone! It looks like alcohol is my best bet. :-D

 

[DeeAnna]

"...I wouldn't use a hairdryer because of the likelyhood, imo, of putting debris back onto the clean surface. ..."

I agree. Also high % alcohol is flammable, so it might not be the wisest move to mix alcohol with a hair dryer. Maybe run the dryer on cool (no heat)?

 

[KristaY]

I ran out to Walmart today and bought 2 baby bottle drying racks. They hold 12 bottles each plus the caps. They were in the neighborhood of $10 each. I doused the rack with alcohol, then the bottles and caps, popped them on. I was drying them on baking racks before but they kept tumbling over. Problem solved! :razz:

 

[CanaDawn]

"...I wouldn't use a hairdryer because of the likelyhood, imo, of putting debris back onto the clean surface. ..."

I agree. Also high % alcohol is flammable, so it might not be the wisest move to mix alcohol with a hair dryer. Maybe run the dryer on cool (no heat)?

It's unlikely to catch fire from a hair dryer, unless it flings a spark out onto the ethanol, because even with a low flashpoint it needs an ignition source, not just heat. Also, we're talking about a thin film of EtOH on the surface, which will quickly self-extinguish in all likelihood. (but then we routinely flame things in the lab, too, so maybe my perspective is skewed from common practice outside the home ) I just think it's counterproductive to blow hot OR cold air thru probably dusty heating coils onto a freshly sanitised surface.

The bottle dryer should work perfectly.

 

[DeeAnna]

"...then we routinely flame things in the lab..."

Point taken, but you're flaming glassware, not plastic; you're working in a reasonably safe lab environment; you have safety training and safety equipment close to hand, and you are trained and competent to do what you're doing. Just sayin'...

And after all that, this debate is moot -- I totally agree that air drying on a bottle rack is by far the better route to ensure sanitary conditions.

 

[CanaDawn]

"...then we routinely flame things in the lab..."

Point taken, but you're flaming glassware, not plastic; you're working in a reasonably safe lab environment; you have safety training and safety equipment close to hand, and you are trained and competent to do what you're doing. Just sayin'...

And after all that, this debate is moot -- I totally agree that air drying on a bottle rack is by far the better route to ensure sanitary conditions.

and I did say "so maybe my perspective is skewed from common practice outside the home" immediately after mentioning the flaming. (and actually, I guess plastic was assumed in the thread, because it wasn't stated, and I guess I do default to thinking of bottles being glass - my mistake) And I can't imagine being anywhere using flammable things (including clothing and food!) without safety equipment, even if you aren't intentionally setting them on fire. (All y'all do have fire extinguishers and smoke detectors and such, right? Please?)

But yes, ethanol rinse and air drying on the rack for the win. Put down the hair dryer!

(And reputable or not, the containers are made in a big factory and it is unlikely they are sanitised (and definitely not sterilized) before being packaged unless it is specifically noted in the product description. Just like how pretty much ALL food containers state "wash before use" - same same with your bottles, imo - and even if they were sterile, nothing (NOTHING) stays sterile once the packaging is breached (and even THOSE have expiry dates for sterility, in the lab))

 

[Susie]

DeeAnna, and everyone else...sorry about that. Yes, the hair dryer I use has a cool setting, and that is what I use. I broke a bone in my hand, and I type much more slowly than my brain thinks now. So, I am leaving stuff out.

The problem with where I live is the humidity. It takes a very long time for anything to dry. I worry more about the tubes and caps being out in the open air for half a day or more than blowing stuff into those tubes. If you don't live in a high humidity area, then you should be fine allowing them to air dry.

 

[CanaDawn]

DeeAnna, and everyone else...sorry about that. Yes, the hair dryer I use has a cool setting, and that is what I use. I broke a bone in my hand, and I type much more slowly than my brain thinks now. So, I am leaving stuff out.

The problem with where I live is the humidity. It takes a very long time for anything to dry. I worry more about the tubes and caps being out in the open air for half a day or more than blowing stuff into those tubes. If you don't live in a high humidity area, then you should be fine allowing them to air dry.

I still wouldn't do it. The point is that although it takes a while to dry, until they dry they are protected from contamination, especially if they are drying upside down on a rack. As soon as you blow air thru the hair dryer, you are certainly adding back all the contamination plus whatever gunk is in the dryer (and there will be stuff in there). Half a day is nothing.

 

[shunt2011]

Also, the alcohol has a tendency to evaporate much quicker than water.