This lab study found that bentonite clay paste can bind to certain viruses like SARS-CoV-2 when used on skin. The researchers suggest it could work as a hand sanitizer alternative to alcohol-based products, potentially without the skin-drying or microbiome-disrupting effects of repeated alcohol use. However, this was tested in a lab, not on actual human hands in real-world conditions.

Researchers tested how bentonite clay interacts with RNA viruses in controlled laboratory conditions, comparing its viral-binding properties to alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

Funding not disclosed in abstract