Hand sanitizer has never been so important. Thanks to the global pandemic hand sanitizer is everywhere and the norm. It is an effective way to reduce the spread of germs. However, while purchasing quality hand sanitizer is the most effective way to ensure it is doing its job. You may find there are times when you can’t get hold of any sanitizer.
The good news is that you can make your own and it’s not difficult. The key factor to remember is that hand sanitizer must contain 60%, alcohol in order to successfully kill germs. Of course, the hand sanitizer you purchase in-store has to undergo vigorous testing, yours doesn’t. That’s why it is important you follow the instructions properly when making your own. This will help to ensure it is effective.
The Key Ingredients
To make your own hand sanitizer you’ll need the following:
- Aloe Vera gel
- Rubbing alcohol
- Essential oil
- Clean container
Making Your Hand Sanitizer
This is surprisingly easy but there are several things that you must ensure are done first.
Primarily, you need to wash your mixing bowl thoroughly with soap and water. Then, do the same to your mixing spoon or whisk. It is best to dry them with a clean tea towel or paper towel.
After this, you should turn your attention to the stargaze containers. How many you have will depend on how much hand sanitizer you are making. These need to be washed and dried. They must be allowed to dry fully before the hand sanitizer goes into them, this will reduce the risk of germs being present in the container.
Naturally, germs in the container will be killed by your homemade hand sanitizer. But, they may reduce its effectiveness.
You can now mix your ingredients. You need one part of Aloe Vera gel to two parts of rubbing alcohol. The essential oils are to add a scent to your hand sanitizer. That means you can leave them out or choose your favorite scent, regardless of whether it is lavender or vanilla. Five drops of essential oil per part of Aloe Vera should suffice.
You can mix this with a spoon but to do it faster and ensure it is properly mixed it is best to use a whisk.
You’ll then be ready to pour it into your pre-prepared containers and put the airtight lids on them. It can be stored indefinitely providing it is kept out of sunlight. The sun’s rays will gradually cause the alcohol to evaporate, making it just a nice smelling gel!
Final Thoughts
A homemade hand sanitizer is a good option as a backup or in an emergency. However, soap and water remain the best option. In addition, commercially made hand sanitizers are guaranteed to have enough alcohol in them to be effective. This is harder to guarantee in a homemade hand sanitizer.
In short, it should work but the best option remains purchasing some that you know have been quality tested and approved.