How to make your own hand sanitizer

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Let me start off by saying that I have been making my own DIY hand sanitizer for years! I was a Teacher and I always had a VERY large bottle of “Magic Soap” aka hand sanitizer near me at all times!

With my autoimmune diseases I have to be very careful of germs and try to protect myself but I also need to be cautious of what I use on my body: This is when I started making my own creations!

With the latest Pandemic it seems that we have decided to buy all the hand sanitizer in the Nation! Almost every store is out of stock including online!

But DON’T PANIC!!! I got ya covered!

Hand sanitizer can be helpful, but you may not love the ingredients found in store-bought versions, so making your own is a great option!

When making the hand sanitizer, you have the option of adding essential oils to make it smell better. I suggest using tea tree oil or lavender because it not only makes it smell better, but these oils also have antibacterial properties!

Why Use Hand Sanitizer?

Hand sanitizer is a good go-to when you’re out and about and can’t get to a sink to properly wash your hands.

I find I use it most when I’ve been grocery shopping and touching the cart. Or after other shopping if I’ve had to handle money or touch the debit machine that everyone else has touched. That’s huge for me! I also use it after I pump gas or leave a meeting after shaking hands with clients.

Alcohol has apparently been used as a sanitizer as early as 1363, according to Wikipedia. It’s been more commonly used in hand sanitizer since the 1980’s.

As you know, I am a Travel Blogger and LOVE to travel! I always keep hand sanitizer near my at all times especially on the airplane! The top things I do on an airplane is spray down the seat, seatbelts and collapsible tray. I also use it after every trip to the restroom, even though I wash my hands.

Hand sanitizer definitely comes in handy when traveling. I can’t tell you how often I have been in a restroom without hand soap. Not to mention those nasty gas station toilets that is disgusting or even those lovely porta- pots! Hand sanitizer is ALWAYS a MUST for me!

Bonus of DIY-

It’s pretty simple to make a natural homemade hand sanitizer. It’s also much more cost-effective than buying it pre-made. The homemade DIY hand sanitizer recipes I created includes ingredients that are known to be antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal and is also good for your skin!

ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS

Lavender– known for their antibacterial and antiviral and it smells awesome!
Tea Tree Oil – known to be antifugal, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antiviral, and antibacterial
Lemongrass Oil – known to be antibacterial and antifungal
Aloe vera gel: known to be antibacterial and antifungal and it does double duty as a moisturizer
Vitamin E: Moisturizer and helps keep recipe fresh

I also like to use essential oils like “Thieves” and/or “Onguard”

WASH YOUR HANDS!!!

To be honest, I am quite in shock how many people do not “believe in germs” and that there are those that do not wash their hands! Alot of people have been making jokes about this lately but it’s sad that it actually is TRUE!

With the (COVID-19) causing concern globally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is stressing the importance of good personal health habits as a way to prevent the spread of the virus. The CDC states that you should wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. If soap and water are not available, hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol is the next best option.

I want to give you options!

Here are a few simple recipes to help make your own sanitizer at home!

Here are a few different recipes to try. I make both the gel form, as well as the spray for my family.

Homemade hand sanitizer recipes

This one contains alcohol-

Ingredients

2/3 cup Isopropyl alcohol 91% aka rubbing alcohol
1/3 cup aloe vera gel
Essential oil(s) if you want to add scent to it.
bowl
spoon
empty container (consider re-using old hand sanitizer bottles)

Directions

Combine and mix Isopropyl alcohol and aloe vera gel until blended.
If using essential oils: add 10-12 drops of essential oil to mix and stir.
Pour your finished hand sanitizer into container.

This recipe contains witch hazel

Ingredients

5 drops lemon
5 drops lavender
20 drops tea tree
1 tablespoon witch hazel
1/4 cup pure Aloe Vera gel

Add all the ingredients to a small bowl and stir to combine. Transfer hand sanitizer to small, clean pump bottle and store it in your purse for up to a year.

This recipe contains vegetable glycerine

Ingredients

1 TBSP rubbing alcohol
1/2 tsp vegetable glycerin (optional)
1/4 cup Aloe Vera gel
cinnamon essential oil
tea tree
distilled water (ionic or colloidal silver adds antibacterial power if available)

Instructions

To make, mix aloe vera gel, optional glycerin, and rubbing alcohol in a small bowl.
Add cinnamon essential oil and tea tree oil along with a drop or two of any other oils you want to add for scent. Lemongrass, orange, lavender, and peppermint are good choices.
Mix well and add distilled water (or colloidal/ionic silver) to thin to desired consistency.
Use a small funnel or medicine dropper to transfer hand sanitizer into spray or pump type bottles.
Use as you would any other type of hand sanitizer.

This recipe has Vitamin E in it

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons aloe vera gel
1 tablespoon filtered water
5 drops tea tree essential oil
1 teaspoon vitamin E
Dispenser tube

This is a great recipe for sanitizer spray

Ingredients

2 ounce spray bottle
5 drops (optional, Vitamin E this makes for soft hands!)
2 tablespoons vodka or witch hazel
5 drops lemon essential oil
5 drops orange essential oil
5 drops tea tree essential oil
Distilled (or at least filtered, boiled, and cooled) water
Label sheet, printer and scissors (you can design fun labels & print or use your vinyl machine & be creative)

Instructions

In the spray bottle, combine the vitamin E oil, witch hazel or vodka, and essential oils. Place the sprayer on tightly and shake well for 15-20 seconds to combine.
Open the bottle, and fill to the top with water. Replace sprayer, and shake again for 15-20 seconds. Done!
Print and stick the label to the bottle. If you don’t have label sheets kicking around, you can also print the label onto regular paper, and then use clear packing tape to adhere the label to the bottle by using the tape like lamination over the entire label.
Spray liberally on your hands whenever you feel like they need a bit of a deep clean. Rub hands together until dry.

Helpful tips-

To be effective, hand sanitizer needs to have a strength of at least 60 percent alcohol. Since you’re going to have to mix your sanitizer with aloe vera gel in order to stabilize it and protect your hands, most recipes suggest that the mixture contain at least two-thirds 99 percent isopropyl alcohol and one-third gel. A 91 percent alcohol would work as well.
( FYI- flu season YES, but during the COVID-19 you may want to only use a high percent alcohol and You can probably ignore the occasional suggestion to use vodka instead of isopropyl alcohol since many vodkas are only 40 percent alcohol. And anyway, why waste good liquor?)
Side note…..the ethanol (also known as ethyl alcohol) in distilled beverages, such as vodka, is also effective. In fact, it’s actually considered more effective against some types of infectious diseases than isopropyl alcohol. But in order to get the proper strength, you’d have to find alcohol that is 180 proof or higher.
Sanitizer is only effective if you cover your hands thoroughly and then let them dry. Squirting a few drops into your palms and then wiping your hands isn’t going to help at all.
If your hands are heavily soiled or greasy, then, according to the CDC, hand sanitizer isn’t going to do much. Washing your hands is always best!

Notes

CORONAVIRUS DISCLAIMER: This hand sanitizer is not a substitute for proper handwashing. And while this home remedy contains commonly-accepted natural antiviral ingredients, it has never been tested in a lab to determine it’s efficacy against viruses such as the coronavirus. Most of these hand sanitizer recipes do not include the 60%+ alcohol content that the CDC and other health organizations recommend for hand sanitizer to properly kill coronavirus. A recipe that contains this level of alcohol can be found through the World Health Organization. As always, check with your health care professional before using any home remedy on you or your family.

Essential oil disclaimer: This recipe uses what are generally considered safe essential oils, but please keep in mind that while completely natural, all essential oils are powerful plant compounds that you and your family (including your pets) might have a reaction to. Never use essential oils undiluted or take essential oils internally (diluted or undiluted) without the guidance of a professional, and always read up about the possible side effects of each type of oil before you use it. Avoid the use of essential oils (diluted or undiluted) during the first trimester of pregnancy, on small babies, and on anyone with severe allergies to the plants the oils are derived from. And if you see any reactions in yourself, your family, or your pets, stop use of your essential oil products immediately and contact a medical professional.

Always take care when handling essential oils. They are very concentrated, powerful plant extracts. If you are new to using essential oils you may want to test for an allergic reaction before slathering on this homemade hand sanitizer. As with any natural plant, family members could be allergic. For a simple patch test mix one drop of essential oil with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Rub a bit on the inside of your elbow, cover with a bandage, and wait 24 hours to see if there is any negative reaction.

Note: If you’ve been reading about how unhealthy the use of hand sanitizers can be, keep in mind that the danger exists in the chemicals used in commercial sanitizers. This homemade hand sanitizer recipe uses NONE of those harmful chemicals and relies on pure essential oils to kill germs. One of the unique qualities of essential oils is that they do not cause bacterial resistance like antibacterial chemicals, and are actually effective in killing strains of bacteria that have become resistant to our man-made medicines and chemicals. (source)

The information on Chasing the Sunshine blog is for informational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be considered medical advice. The information provided through this site should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease, and is not a substitute for professional care. Always consult your personal healthcare provider.