DIY Hand Sanitizer With Alcohol
DIY Hand Sanitizer With Alcohol
According to the World Health Organization, the only acceptable homemade hand sanitizers are alcohol based. So if you know someone on Facebook who is telling you that all of you need is a few bottles of essential oil… please don’t listen! More specifically, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is saying that hand sanitizer needs to be at least 60% alcohol in order to effectively kill this virus. And no, that doesn’t mean that the 70 alcohol that’s randomly in your bathroom or the grain alcohol you use to make martinis will cut it. That means that the entire concoction needs to be at least 60% alcohol. The best way to ensure that is to use 91% or 99% isopropyl alcohol (also known as rubbing alcohol).
I’ve also seen another option where the recipe called for witch hazel instead of aloe. I think the recipe I used is very runny, and most of the posts I’ve seen with witch hazel say that is even runnier… so if you go that route, I’d get a spray bottle instead of a squeeze or pump bottle! And lastly, I added a little bit of tea tree oil to mine since I had some on hand, I like the scent, and I find it to be moisturizing. I’ve seen a few other “recipes” that add tea tree oil into the mix, too. Turns out it also has some antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties – and that’s why it’s so great for blemishes on your face! No worries if you don’t have it on hand though – the most important ingredients are alcohol and aloe!
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How to Make DIY Hand Sanitizer:
Ingredients
1 cup 91% or 99% isopropyl alcohol
1/2 cup aloe vera gel
a few drops of tea tree oil (optional!)
Instructions
- Whisk the alcohol, aloe vera, and optional tea tree oil together in a measuring glass.
- Pour the mixture into portable squeeze bottles, or a pump bottle to leave by your front/back door.
Using Homemade Hand Sanitizer
As I mentioned, this version is a lot runnier than the store bought kind you’re used to. Just keep that in mind when you squeeze or pump it out! Rub your hands together quickly until your hands absorb the liquid. And remember, this is the backup plan! Use this when you can’t get to a sink to wash with soap and water. I feel very lucky that I can hunker down and stay at home. But I know some people have to go out for work or to get supplies for high risk loved ones. If either of those circumstances apply to you, I hope this is helpful for you!
Also, did you know that you can make a DIY Face Mask out of t-shirt?!
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PS. You might also like Free At Home Workout Classes and How To Give Back During Coronavirus!
