And so here we are, with a shortage of hand sanitizer. I never thought we would be experiencing something like this, and while I sure do hope this shortage and social distancing will only happen for a short time, we simply don’t know for sure.
They key to dealing with any virus is prevention. And keeping your hands clean is so important right now. According to the CDC, a hand sanitizer needs to have, at least, 60% alcohol to combat these germs.
So, if you’re making my other hand sanitizer recipe that’s alcohol-free, I can’t guarantee that it’s actually killing this virus since it’s never been tested on it. You’re better off making this alcohol-based hand sanitizer recipe, which has the right concentration of alcohol.
But before making any hand sanitizer it’s important to remember that hand sanitizers should be used when you don’t have access to soap and water. Hand washing is the most effective way to keep germs away so I encourage you to find a way to wash your hands with soap and water before you use your hand sanitizer. Your hand sanitizer should be used when that’s the only option left!
Why is hand washing better than a hand sanitizer?
“The consensus between the CDC and medical professionals alike is that the gold standard for maintaining hand hygiene is proper and consistent washing of the hands,” Sonpal tells Allure. That’s because soap and water are simply more thorough.
“Hand sanitizer may kill viruses and certain bacteria, but it does not ‘clean’ your hands like soap and water do,” Melisiotis says. “Sanitizer doesn’t remove actual dirt and debris. Soap kills germs, binds them, and helps physically remove them, with the water, off your skin and down the drain.” (Source)
So, now more than ever, we need to remind our children to wash their hands frequently and we need to remind ourselves, to wash our hands more often. You can make it a game – set a timer every hour so everyone washes their hands when the timer goes off. And don’t forget to wash your hands before you eat or touch your face.
Before we get to making this DIY hand sanitizer recipe, let me answer some of your questions. Don’t have questions? Scroll down to the end of this post for the recipe.
Can you turn this recipe into a DIY hand sanitizer spray?
Yes, this recipe gives you the option of using aloe vera gel or spray or vegetable glycerin. The main difference between the aloe vera is that spray comes in liquid form, making the end product a hand sanitizer spray – which is my personal preference.
If you opt for choosing the vegetable glycerin, your hand sanitizer will also have more of a liquid consistency, making it great for spray bottle.
How to make DIY hand sanitizer without aloe vera gel?
The purpose of the aloe vera in your homemade sanitizer is to keep your hands from drying out and cracking, since the alcohol has properties that will dry out your skin. You can replace the aloe vera gel for glycerin. See the recipe below for the correct quantities.
Can I use vodka to make hand sanitizer?
The short answer is no. Vodka has a alcohol volume of 40%, which is less than the 60% required to deal with the current virus.
How do you use a hand sanitizer to make sure it’s killing germs?
Regardless of what hand sanitizer you’re using, according to the CDC you should rub your hand sanitizer vigorously, all over your hands, for about 30 seconds. Anything less than that and you might not kill the bacteria sitting on your hands.
Make sure your hands are dry and not greasy or visibly dirty before applying the hand sanitizer, or it might not be as effective.
How do you make natural hand sanitizer without alcohol?
This hand sanitizer recipe doesn’t use alcohol, however none of the alcohol-free hand sanitizer recipes have been tested on this current virus. If you’re making hand sanitizer to fight against it, I would stick to this alcohol-based recipe. It’s best to err on the safe side!
Can I add essential oils to a homemade hand sanitizer?
Yes, you can but essential oils are concentrated and may irritate a person’s skin. Make sure you test your hand sanitizer before applying all over your hands and stick to essential oils that are safe for children and have anti-microbial properties, such a tea tree oil and lavender essential oils.
How to make your own hand sanitizer?
“Homemade hand sanitizers are just as effective as what you buy as long as you use the right percentage of alcohol,” CBS News contributor Dr. David Agus told CBS MoneyWatch. (Source) So, lets get to making!
You can follow the instructions by watching this video tutorial or scroll past it to read the instructions:
A few notes about the recipe:
- Make sure the bottle you’re using for your hand sanitizer has been sterilized, especially if you’re reusing an old bottle. To sterilize your bottle, first make sure all the parts can be boiled. Place water in a small pot and bring it boil, let the items boil for 10 minutes. If you’re reusing a plastic bottle, I don’t recommend this method. Instead, wash the bottle with soapy warm water.
- For this recipe, you can use aloe vera gel, aloe vera spray or vegetable glycerin. Either one of these will help your skin from drying out due to the alcohol.
- The vitamin E is optional but I like to add it to keep the skin on my hands healthier and moisturized.
- The essential oils are also optional but they help mask the scent of the alcohol and also have anti-bacterial properties.
- If you’re looking for a DIY lotion to put on your hands after the hand sanitizer, try making these hand lotion sticks.
- If you’re looking for a disinfectant for your home, out go-to is Force of Nature, it’s just as effective as bleach but without the toxic chemicals. Force of Nature is EPA registered for disinfecting & sanitizing hospitals, ICUs, daycares, schools & more. Learn more about it here.
DIY Hand Sanitizer with a 60%+ Alcohol-Base
This hand sanitizer recipe has an alcohol-base to fight off unwanted germs.
Materials
Instructions
- In a bowl, add the alcohol, mix in the aloe vera or glycerin.
- Add the Vitamin E oil, if you're using any, as well as the essential oil.
- Mix all the ingredients well.
- Using a funnel or a pipette, transfer the mixture to your spray bottle.
- Your hand sanitizer is ready to use!
Notes
For additional information about this recipe, please refer to the article where you found it: https://mamainstincts.com/diy-hand-sanitizer-with-alcohol/
Have another % of alcohol and wondering how to make hand sanitizer with it?
Dr. Elisa Song shares 3 DIY hand sanitizer recipes using rubbing alcohol, click here to get her recipe if you’re using 99% or 70% isopropyl alcohol.
Leave a Reply