Hotel Tango, Other Distilleries Start Producing Hand Cleaner

Distilleries in Indiana are shifting production to produce hand cleaner in response to the coronavirus. Indianapolis-based Hotel Tango Distillery's company officials say the decision aims to help at-risk communities.

With the coronavirus pandemic, demand is outpacing the supply of many products, including hand sanitizer.

Hotel Tango Distillery CEO Travis Barnes says seeing people online incorrectly producing hand cleaner at home pushed him to use his company to make a product that meets the federal safety standards.

“We have the facility, we have the ingredients on hand to really produce that, so we just kinda shifted gears to produce actual hand cleaner,” says Barnes.

READ MORE: What Do You Need To Know About Coronavirus? We’ve Got Answers.

He says the company is expecting to receive federal approval soon that would allow them to start shipping the cleaner.

The company is planning to send its first batches as donations to organizations that have reached out and are serving some of those most vulnerable to the virus.

Bloomington-based Cardinal Spirits is also producing a similar product.

Contact Samantha at shorton@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @SamHorton5.

This is a rapidly evolving story, and we are working hard to bring you the most up-to-date information. However, we recommend checking the websites of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Indiana State Department of Health for the most recent numbers of COVID-19 cases.