What Is Hand Sanitizer?
Hand sanitizer is a liquid, gel, or foam generally used to decrease infectious agents on the hands. In most settings, handwashing with soap and water is generally preferred. Hand sanitizer is less effective at killing certain kinds of germs, such as norovirus and Clostridium difficile and unlike soap and water, it cannot remove harmful chemicals. People may incorrectly wipe off hand sanitizer before it has dried, and some are less effective because their alcohol concentrations are too low.
How To Make Your Own Hand Sanitizer
You can make a hand sanitizer easily using the stuff you already have at home.
Properly scrubbing your hands is one of the best ways to stop the spread of germs and viruses, and to ensure you don’t get sick yourself. But if you don’t have access to soap and clean water, or if you’re out and about and nowhere near a sink, you should carry hand sanitizer to protect your health.
As you’re no doubt aware, bottles of hand sanitizer (Purell, Wet Ones, and the like) sell out quickly during public health crises. But don’t worry—making your own hand sanitizer is remarkably easy. You just have to be careful you don’t mess it up. Make sure that the tools you use for mixing are properly sanitized; otherwise, you could contaminate the whole thing. Also, the World Health Organization recommends letting your concoction sit for a minimum of 72 hours after you’re done. That way the sanitizer has time to kill any bacteria that might have been introduced during the mixing process.
We actually have two recipes for you, along with links to find the ingredients. The first is one you can make with stuff you likely already have in your cabinets and under the sink, so it’s effective in emergency situations. The second recipe is more complex but easy to make if you have the opportunity to do some shopping and planning ahead of time. Another note: A lot of these items are quickly going out of stock because of high demand. There’s a higher chance of finding them at your local drug store, but your first priority is to stay indoors.
Potency Matters
You’re going to need some alcohol. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, your sanitizer mix must be at least 60 percent alcohol to be effective. But it’s better to get way above that—aim for a minimum of 75 percent. A bottle of 99 percent isopropyl alcohol is the best thing to use. Your regular vodka and whiskey are too wimpy and won’t cut it.
The Quick (Gel) Recipe
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Aloe vera gel
- Tea tree oil
Mix 3 parts isopropyl alcohol to 1 part aloe vera gel. Add a few drops of tea tree oil to give it a pleasant scent and to align your chakras.
The Better (Spray) Recipe
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Glycerol or glycerin
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Distilled water
- Spray bottle
The aloe mixture gets the job done, but aloe also leaves your skin annoyingly sticky. So, here’s a recipe that’s less sticky and more potent, based on the mix recommended by the WHO.
Mix 12 fluid ounces of alcohol with 2 teaspoons of glycerol. You can buy ■■■■ of glycerol online, and it’s an important ingredient because it keeps the alcohol from drying out your hands. If you can’t find glycerol, proceed with the rest of the recipe anyway and just remember to moisturize your hands after applying the sanitizer.
Mix in 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide, then 3 fluid ounces of distilled or boiled (then cooled) water. (If you’re working with a lower-concentration solution of rubbing alcohol, use far less water; remember, at least ¾ of your final mixture has to be alcohol.)
Load the solution into spray bottles—this isn’t a gel, it’s a spray. You can wet a paper towel with it as well and use that as a wipe.
If you must, you can add in a splash of essential oil to your concoction to make it smell nice. Just don’t use lavender. Everyone else uses lavender, and your sanitizer is superior.
How To Make Hand Sanitizer At Home
You can make your own hand sanitizer at home with isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and either aloe vera gel or glycerin.
Hand sanitizer needs to contain at least 60% alcohol to kill germs, and by following our recipe below, you should be able to make an effective sanitizer that can help prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria.
However, the hand sanitizer you can buy in stores must undergo more rigorous testing to ensure a 60% alcohol content throughout the mixture, so commercial products are likely your safest option.
What you'll need:
- 1 part aloe vera gel or glycerin
- 2 part isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) with a concentration of 91%
- Essential oil, such as lemon or lavender (this is an optional ingredient for scent)
- Clean containers for mixing and an air-tight container for storage
- Spoon or whisk for mixing
Steps:
- Combine the aloe vera gel or glycerin with the isopropyl alcohol in a clean container. To get one cup of sanitizer, combine ⅓ cup of gel or glycerin with ⅔ cup of rubbing alcohol.
- Mix thoroughly with your spoon or whisk to ensure that the alcohol is evenly distributed throughout the gel.
- Stir in five drops of essential oil, if you’re using it. This is entirely optional and is only meant to improve the scent of the sanitizer.
- Store the sanitizer in an air-tight container. Alcohol evaporates with time, so an air-tight container will keep your sanitizer effective for longer. A pump or squeeze bottle can minimize evaporation while keeping your sanitizer easily accessible — just make sure the container for your sanitizer is clean and air-tight.
How To Make Hand Sanitizer Spray
The essential oils in this recipe may help boost the antibacterial properties of the spray as well as making it smell nice. It’s important to use high-quality oils though, or it might irritate your skin. The list below includes oils that may help boost the antibacterial properties of the spray.
Antimicrobial Essential Oils:
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Tea Tree
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Eucalyptus
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Peppermint
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Lemongrass
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Orange
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Lavender
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Cinnamon Bark
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Thyme
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Clove
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Rosemary
Supplies:
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3/4 cup 91% isopropyl alcohol
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1/3 cup glycerin
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20 drops essential oil, optional (see list above for good ones to use)
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spray bottle
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measuring cup
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funnel
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label
Directions:
Add ingredients to a bowl and whisk together. Pour into bottles. Let sit for a minimum of 72 hours so the sanitizer has time to kill any bacteria that might have been introduced during the mixing process.
Some Tips To Stay Away From Corona Virus
Whether you’re stocked up on hand sanitizer or not, it is recommended that you:
- Wash your hands regularly: Again, nothing beats washing your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water. Hand sanitizer—even the real, professionally made stuff should always be used when you’re traveling or unable to wash your hands.
- Stay at home: Don’t leave the house except for essential trips outside like trips to the grocery store or to see your doctor. This is also called sheltering in place.
- Stay at least 6 feet away from other people: This is called social distancing. Keeping your distance makes it hard for the virus to jump from someone else to you (or vice versa) through respiratory droplets. The White House also recommends avoiding gatherings of 10 or more people, which should be easy because you’re staying at home.
- Wear a cloth face mask outside the house: Everyone should wear cloth face coverings when out in public where you may be near other people. Kids under 2 years old should not wear a mask, nor should anyone who has difficulty breathing or taking it off.
- Avoid touching your face: You could transmit the virus from your hands into your mouth.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces: Do it daily, especially if items or people leave or enter your home.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How to make hand sanitizer with aloe vera plants
To make a hand sanitizer, you will need Aloe Vera gel, Isopropyl alcohol (or high-proof vodka), and the essential oil of your choice. If you are working with a live Aloe Vera plant or a single cut of Aloe Vera, you’ll need to squeeze out about ¼ cup of gel.
For ¼ cup of gel, you will also need ¾ cup of your grain-based alcohol and about 10-15 drops of essential oil. (Lavender, peppermint, and eucalyptus essential oils are some of our personal favorites for sanitizer.) Make sure you have a spray or squeeze bottle to put the sanitizer in. This recipe will yield about 1 cup of sanitizer.
Working with a plant or a cut of Aloe Vera from the grocery store? No problem. Make sure to cut it about 2 to 3 inches from the base. Cut the top, too, until the new top of your cut leaf is about 1-inch wide. Down the spine of the leaf, slice the length and peel it off from the other side. Inside, you’ll find the Aloe Vera gel. Peel back the leaf and slice the rest of that side until you can see all of the gel inside. Now, use a spoon to remove the gel.
Now that your Aloe Vera plant is cut properly, you will have to prepare it for the sanitizer. Since you’re not dealing with already liquid gel, we recommend running the gel of the Aloe Vera through a blender to ensure that it’s as liquid-y as possible. Blending the plant’s gel for about 30 seconds will turn the Aloe Vera gel into a foam consistency. Before moving onto the next step, make sure there are no more chunks left in the gel.
Once your Aloe Vera gel has been blended for up to 30 seconds, measure out ¼ cup and add it to the ¾ cup of Isopropyl alcohol or grain-based alcohol. Blend it again for another 15 seconds to make sure it’s mixed well. Add 10 to 15 drops of your favorite essential oil in a spray or squeeze bottle. This DIY hand sanitizer should be good for up to three weeks.
2. How to make a hand sanitizer with lotion?
The Tools And Ingredients Used In This Recipe:
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Cuisinart Immersion Blender
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Small Funnel
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Spray bottles
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Squeeze Bootle
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Rubbing Alcohol
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Aloe Vera
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Vegetable Glycerine
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Essential Oils
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Lotion
Description
You can make this All-Natural Hand Sanitizer Recipe in less than 5 minutes. Plus it smells amazing & won’t dry out your hands. Can be made into a convenient Pump or Spray.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 Cup Aloe Vera Juice (for spray recipe) or Aloe Vera Gel (for pump recipe) – Note: This is the All Natural Aloe products from a plant, not the ‘after sun’ stuff you find in the store
- 1/4 Cup Vodka, Witch Hazel, or Rubbing Alcohol (the 70% or 90% kind).
- 10–20 drops of Anti-Bacterial Essential Oils: Tea Tree, Clove, Thyme, Cinnamon, Orange, Lavender, Rosemary, Eucalyptus, Lemongrass, Peppermint, etc…) Mix and Match, but be careful of any phototoxic oils that can burn your skin if exposed to sunshine.
Instructions
- To use the Hand Sanitizer, Pump or Spray enough on hands to get them wet and rub vigorously together. Let air dry & repeat if necessary.
- For maximum effectiveness in cases where hands are visibly dirty, wash/rinse first (or use a wet wipe if you have one), then apply the Sanitizer.