EMS warns against making coronavirus cleaning products

Store shelves are empty. Many shoppers can't find cleaning supplies.

The shortage of hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes and cleaners products feels common.

Some consumers have even started making their own chemicals at home, but with this comes risks.

"There's no hand sanitizer, so everyone started looking for things to make their own. Now there's no aloe and no alcohol. People can't even find bleach anymore," said Maresa Roney with Person Street Pharmacy.

Some individuals have even started creating their own version of hand sanitizer and bleach.

Wake County EMS warns, there are two main dangers when doing this.

"On the lighter side, it can be harmful and corrosive to your hands. On the other side, you can create poisonous gases that are extremely dangerous to you," said Jeffrey Hammerstein of Wake County EMS.

Person Street Pharmacy is seeing the effects first hand.

"We had one patient come in and show us her hands, and they were bleeding because they were so dry. She added too much alcohol and didn't mix it properly," Roney said.

"It's got to be the right products. It can't be something you think is going to work," said Hammerstein.

EMS advises, if you can't find hand sanitizer, washing your hands regularly is enough. You shouldn't be replacing hand washing with hand sanitizer.

If you can't find cleaning products like bleach or wipes, any regular at home cleaning product will work.

Lastly, don't believe everything you read online.