5 ms·

Kolonya: Turkey's unique hand-sanitizing method

37 points by diminish 7y ago

memetcn 7y ago
I live in Turkey and I can tell Kolonya's effectiveness mainly comes from the behavioral cues it sends me. Traditionally, you would offer some as you welcome your guests to your home. It is also a great refresher, I always have a bottle in my house and not only you would use it for your hands but also you can put some on your face and neck. (Like an after shave, but less aromatic) So I have one bottle on my desk and unconsciously keep disinfecting myself. I can't imagine doing that easily with a commercial sanitizer when somebody arrives in your home :)
- mofojed 7y ago
  > I can't imagine doing that easily with a commercial sanitizer when somebody arrives in your home :) Currently here in Ontario when you go to the liquor store (LCBO), they ask a series of questions and then spray your hands with commercial hand sanitizer before letting you in. It is... weird.
  - def8cefe 7y ago
    Everything about right now is weird. The hand sanitizer on entry requirement is also in Ontario hospitals, although they just watch you use the dispenser yourself at the screening station in my experience.
- guiltygods 7y ago
  Some grocery stores have started this now in NY. Get a spritz of sanitizer for each person entering the store. Trader joes does this
jonaphin 7y ago
French guy living in the US now. I miss "Eau de Cologne" deeply. We've used it with fevers, headaches, indigestion... and my 95 y/o grandpa still uses it daily. My understanding is the custom is probably more widespread than it being endemic to Turkey.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
artificialidiot 7y ago
It is not 80% alcohol, it is 80 proof which is 40%. Article is wrong about effectiveness.
- propinquity 7y ago
  Is that right? I haven't seen things other than spirits use proof as a measurement rather than ABV. I don't know about Turkish kolnya but colognes are typically 70-90% ABV.
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
- xenonite 7y ago
  Could you elaborate? According to Wikipedia it is 70%-90% alcohol. "In a base of dilute ethanol (70–90%), eau de cologne contains a mixture of citrus oils" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eau_de_Cologne https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eau_de_Cologne
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
  - artificialidiot 7y ago
    Well I did a better research and yea, you are right. Traditionally, all bottles have something like "80 proof" on them. Apparently, it is not English proof but French proof which is same as ABV.

37 points by diminish 7y ago

I live in Turkey and I can tell Kolonya's effectiveness mainly comes from the behavioral cues it sends me. Traditionally, you would offer some as you welcome your guests to your home. It is also a great refresher, I always have a bottle in my house and not only you would use it for your hands but also you can put some on your face and neck. (Like an after shave, but less aromatic) So I have one bottle on my desk and unconsciously keep disinfecting myself. I can't imagine doing that easily with a commercial sanitizer when somebody arrives in your home :)

mofojed 7y ago
> I can't imagine doing that easily with a commercial sanitizer when somebody arrives in your home :) Currently here in Ontario when you go to the liquor store (LCBO), they ask a series of questions and then spray your hands with commercial hand sanitizer before letting you in. It is... weird.
- def8cefe 7y ago
  Everything about right now is weird. The hand sanitizer on entry requirement is also in Ontario hospitals, although they just watch you use the dispenser yourself at the screening station in my experience.
guiltygods 7y ago
Some grocery stores have started this now in NY. Get a spritz of sanitizer for each person entering the store. Trader joes does this

jonaphin 7y ago

French guy living in the US now. I miss "Eau de Cologne" deeply. We've used it with fevers, headaches, indigestion... and my 95 y/o grandpa still uses it daily. My understanding is the custom is probably more widespread than it being endemic to Turkey.

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

artificialidiot 7y ago

It is not 80% alcohol, it is 80 proof which is 40%. Article is wrong about effectiveness.

propinquity 7y ago
Is that right? I haven't seen things other than spirits use proof as a measurement rather than ABV. I don't know about Turkish kolnya but colognes are typically 70-90% ABV.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
xenonite 7y ago
Could you elaborate? According to Wikipedia it is 70%-90% alcohol. "In a base of dilute ethanol (70–90%), eau de cologne contains a mixture of citrus oils" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eau_de_Cologne https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eau_de_Cologne
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- artificialidiot 7y ago
  Well I did a better research and yea, you are right. Traditionally, all bottles have something like "80 proof" on them. Apparently, it is not English proof but French proof which is same as ABV.