Carrying Rubbing Alcohol in checked luggage into the US?
Mar 15, 2020, 5:55 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 352
Carrying Rubbing Alcohol in checked luggage into the US?
Im outside the US now and going to be back in the US soon. I heard there is a toilet paper shortage and also other things like wet ones wipes and lysol wipes. I was told its hard to even find rubbing alcohol... to clean things etc back in the US. I assume there is no issue going to a store outside the US where im located and buying some and putting it in my luggage right? That would count as alcohol though? Also how many liters are we allowed to bring? I never once brought alcohol ever in my luggage and by that i mean alcohol for drinking and obviously never rubbing alcohol.
Is there any shortage in rubbing alcohol in your city in the US?
Is there any shortage in rubbing alcohol in your city in the US?
Mar 15, 2020, 6:53 pm
#2
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: DL PM 1MM
Posts: 3,441
The US is a big place. You are going to easily see point-in-time photographs posted on social media purporting to tell a wider story, but generally speaking there are no significant shortages in the US. I wouldn't waste space in luggage trying to bring supplies to the US.
Mar 15, 2020, 9:51 pm
#3
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 20,639
Can't find anything about rubbing or isopropyl alcohol, but here are the FAA rules for alcoholic beverages in checked luggage:
Alcoholic beverages
In unopened retail packaging, containing more than 24% but not more than 70% alcohol by volume (up to 140 proof)Quantity limits: 5 L (1.3 gallons) per packaging and 5 L total per passenger.*
Must be in unopened retail packagings.
Beverages containing more than 70% alcohol (more than 140 proof) are forbidden in carry-on and checked baggage.
See the regulation: 49 CFR 175.10(a)(4)
In unopened retail packaging, containing more than 24% but not more than 70% alcohol by volume (up to 140 proof)Quantity limits: 5 L (1.3 gallons) per packaging and 5 L total per passenger.*
Must be in unopened retail packagings.
Beverages containing more than 70% alcohol (more than 140 proof) are forbidden in carry-on and checked baggage.
See the regulation: 49 CFR 175.10(a)(4)
Mar 16, 2020, 4:05 pm
#4
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: IAH
Programs: UA
Posts: 605
I recently returned to the US, and brought all the hand gel and other disinfecting products I had. I am darned glad I did. My stash included 2 bottles of isopropyl, several cannisters of clorox and lysol wipes, half dozen bottles of hand gel, 2 cans of Lysol spray. We drove across 3 states from our airport of entry and couldn't find any of it. Can't find them in the country we left either now that the virus hit there.
Mar 16, 2020, 4:15 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Olde Dominion
Programs: DL Silver - uh huh!
Posts: 948
Because rubbing alcohol is flammable, I’d imagine airlines aren’t too keen that it be packed in checked luggage.
The likelihood of it actually igniting is probably low, but if it did the consequences might be bad.
The likelihood of it actually igniting is probably low, but if it did the consequences might be bad.
Mar 16, 2020, 4:27 pm
#6
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: IAH
Programs: UA
Posts: 605
The FAA permits it. https://www.faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe/...nfo/?hazmat=26
Mar 16, 2020, 4:41 pm
#7
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Olde Dominion
Programs: DL Silver - uh huh!
Posts: 948
The FAA permits it. https://www.faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe/...nfo/?hazmat=26
500 ml max per container of rubbing alcohol
max 2 L /2 kg total for all hazardous materials
Mar 19, 2020, 7:05 am
#10
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Baltimore, MD USA
Programs: Southwest Rapid Rewards. Tha... that's about it.
Posts: 4,332
I hate to say it, but the rumors are true, at least for my part of the country (Baltimore and the surrounding region). All of the stores have been sold out of hand sanitizer for over a week, and TP and other paper products have been sold out since the governor declared an official state of mass panic last Thursday. There is no rubbing alcohol left in the stores, either; I suppose many people use it either to sanitize, or to make DIY sanitizer by mixing with aloe vera. ANd naturally, many cleaning products using bleach or alcohol are also in short supply.
The only thing I could find was a big jug of aloe at Walmart. I had half a bottle of alcohol at home, so I was able to mix up some sanitizer (and now I'm stuck with a giant jug of aloe!) Coupled with hand washing (I fortunately have plenty of hand soap on hand), I should be able to muddle through until the worst of the crisis passes.
So, in short, bring your alcohol with you, or as much alcohol-based hand sanitizer as you can (within the FAA and carrier limits). For the moment, that stuff is in very short supply in my part of the country, and I suspect that it is in short supply everywhere.
The only thing I could find was a big jug of aloe at Walmart. I had half a bottle of alcohol at home, so I was able to mix up some sanitizer (and now I'm stuck with a giant jug of aloe!) Coupled with hand washing (I fortunately have plenty of hand soap on hand), I should be able to muddle through until the worst of the crisis passes.
So, in short, bring your alcohol with you, or as much alcohol-based hand sanitizer as you can (within the FAA and carrier limits). For the moment, that stuff is in very short supply in my part of the country, and I suspect that it is in short supply everywhere.