DIY Hand Sanitizer: Benefits, Tips and Recipe

DIY Hand Sanitizer: Benefits, Tips and Recipe

How to Make Your Own Hand Sanitizer at Home (and Why)

Products on the shelves have been replaced by mass panic and everyone is looking for the best means of protection – this pretty much sums up our lives as Americans right now. The new coronavirus (COVID-19) proved it’s no joke and we all need to put in extra effort to keep ourselves and everyone around us safe.

So what can we do? While there’s no cure for it so far, we know that the virus can be killed by frequently washing our hands or using a hand sanitizer whenever needed.

Seems quite simple, if (and that’s a big ‘if’) you can find any hand sanitizers available in stores. If you’re in a situation when you just don’t have access to a toilet to wash your hands…

Why not make your own sanitizer at home?

The benefits of a homemade hand sanitizer

There’s no doubt that commercial hand sanitizers really do their job in destroying bacteria and viruses, but there’s a price to pay for their effectiveness.

Firstly, almost any antibacterial soap or gel contains triclosan. Studies at the University of Maine found that this chemical could cause hormonal disruption in the long run; in fact, the FDA already ruled that manufacturers should avoid using this ingredient altogether and experts are still unsure about how ethylic alcohol is used in such products.

This brings us to our second argument: alcohol. So far, we know that ethylic alcohol with a concentration of at least 70% can kill the new coronavirus, which is great. However, rubbing alcohol on your hands can also cause severe skin damage, thus leaving you even more exposed to bacteria and viruses. A good hand sanitizer should contain other ingredients that hydrate your skin, but let’s be honest, do we really understand every word written on the product label? I know I don’t!

That’s exactly why homemade hand sanitizers work: they are healthy, effective and, to be frank, they might even cost you less especially in times like these when you use them so often.

With that information in mind, let’s get straight to making our own hand sanitizer.

Your 5-minute hand sanitizer recipe

Ingredients:

• 2/4 cup rubbing alcohol of at least 70% concentration;
• 2 tbsp aloe vera (glycerin works well too, but only if you can’t find aloe vera);
• 20 drops of essential oil (lavender, clove, cinnamon etc)

Instructions:

1. Put the alcohol and aloe vera in a bowl and mix them together very well with a spoon.
2. Add the essential oil one drop at a time while continuously stirring to get an even, smooth composition.
3. Pour the sanitizer in a bottle or a jar (make sure the lid is tightly fitted) and that’s it! You have it ready to use whenever needed.

Attention! The World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Prevention both recommend that you use hand sanitizer only when you’re unable to wash your hands. Experts remind us that the most effective way of eliminating the COVID-19 is to rub your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, so not even homemade hand sanitizers should replace this habit.

Looking for more verified information? Click here to see the top 5 coronavirus myths finally busted (with the WHO)!