How to Make Your Own Hand Sanitizer

Unlock the secrets of eco-friendly DIY hand sanitizers with some easy recipes. You will love to use them not only because they are homemade, but also since they are chemical free unlike the commercial varieties. As almost all the step by steps include essential oils, run a patch test to check if you are allergic to any of them.

Homemade Hand Sanitizer

Anti-Bacterial Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer Spray

Ingredients

• 1 tsp rubbing alcohol (minimum of 60% concentration)
• ¼ cup of 100% pure aloe vera gel
• 10 drops each of cinnamon and tea tree essential oils
• 20 drops of any antibacterial essential oils of your choice (lemongrass, vanilla, lavender, orange and peppermint are good options)
• Distilled water
• ½ tsp vegetable glycerin (optional)

Homemade Hand Sanitizer Spray

Instructions

1. Mix the aloe vera gel, rubbing alcohol and glycerin together in a small bowl. The aloe counters the drying effects of alcohol, giving the end product a nice moisturizing property.
2. Add the essential oils. Mix well.
3. Add the distilled water to bring the mixture to the desired consistency. Your hand sanitizer is ready.
4. With the help of a medicine dropper or a small funnel, transfer it into a spray or pump type bottle. You can also put it into a pen-style sprayer. Use it as you would use any hand sanitizer.

The alcohol in the ingredients enables it to clear up acne. Just dab a small amount on the affected area with a cotton swab. However, it is recommended that you take medical supervision before applying this method. It should be used within 6 months.

Tip

• If you want it unscented, you can give the essential oils a miss.
• For colored hand sanitizers, you can add soy-based food coloring to the mix.

All Natural Homemade Hand Sanitizer Suitable for Babies

Since bacteria are known to become immune to alcohol on continuous usage, you may consider substituting it in the previous recipe with witch hazel extract. Since the latter still contains alcohol, take care to choose a variety that has a very low concentration of it (about 30% would be fine).

Non-Alcoholic Essential Oil Gel Hand Sanitizer

If you want to skip alcohol entirely, leave out the witch hazel as well. Instead, include 10 drops of rosemary, eucalyptus and clove bud essential oils in the recipe. Also add 20 drops of either lemon, grapefruit or wild orange essential oil. Apart from smelling good, they have excellent antiviral and antibacterial properties making the hand sanitizer as effective as standard hospital grade types. This makes them ideal as baby shower gifts.

Alcohol free Homemade Hand Sanitizer Gel

Waterless Hand Sanitizer

If you vouch for making hand sanitizing without water, consider replacing the water in the first recipe with colloidal silver or ionic silver that has brilliant anti-bacterial properties. Packaging it in small bottles will make fabulous mini hand sanitizer favors.

Alcohol-Free Foaming Hand Sanitizer Recipe

Ingredients

• ½ tsp liquid Castile soap
• 10 drops Thieves essential oil
• Distilled water

Tool: Foaming soap dispenser

Foaming Hand Sanitizer

Instructions

1. Fill up the dispenser by about ½ a centimeter with Add the liquid Castile soap followed by the Thieves essential oil.
2. Top off with as much water as you would need for foaming. Bear in mind that it will not foam profusely like the commercial types, but enough to cover your hands with.
3. Slowly turn the dispenser over and over again to mix its contents gently. Your foam hand sanitizer can be used

Organic Hand Sanitizer Travel Wipes

Ingredients

• 1½ cup hot water
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp rubbing alcohol or vodka (ethyl alcohol)
• 3 drops each of lemon and lavender essential oils
• 1 roll of paper towels
• Storage container with a lid

Homemade Hand Sanitizer Wipes

Instructions

1. Mix the water, oils and alcohol in a container. The coconut oil should completely melt into the liquids.
2. Cut the roll of paper towels in half. Remove the cardboard center and transfer the towels to the container.
3. Pour as much mixture over the towels as to wet them without saturation. Allow them some time to soak in the liquid.
4. Close the lid of the container. They are perfect for use on long car rides.

Tip

• Instead of paper towels, you can use napkins or baby wipes. If you are using the latter, just put a few drops of the mixture. Store the rest for later use.

Alcohol Based Scented Hand Sanitizer Lotion

Ingredients

• 10 g rubbing alcohol
• 60 g water
• 7 g emulsimulse or any other emulsifying wax
• 2 g glycerin
• 3 g raw honey
• 18 g grapeseed oil
• 5 drops tea tree essential oil
• 8 drops lavender essential oil
• 3 drops rosemary essential oil

Hand Sanitizer Lotion

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, combine the grapeseed oil and emulsifying wax and let them melt over medium heat.
2. While they melt, mix the water and glycerin in a microwave safe bowl. After nuking for about 20 seconds, stir to combine well.
3. Add the water mixture to the saucepan heat up well.
4. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk the mixture constantly as it cools and thickens into a nice lotion.
5. Now whisk in the raw honey and rubbing alcohol so that the heat doesn’t cause the alcohol to evaporate or spoil the honey.
6. Whisk in the essential oils.
7. Decant into a lotion bottle.

Other Ideas for Hand Sanitizing

• For a simpler variety, fill a small bottle with any hand lotion leaving a little space at the top. Put in 3 drops of Palmarosa oil, 5 drops of lemon and eucalyptus oils along with 5-10 drops of lavender essential oil. Shake well to mix.
• Mixing just 2/3 cup of 99% rubbing alcohol with 1/3 cup of aloe vera gel makes great hand sanitizer gel.
• You can add ¼ tsp of Vitamin E oil to any of the hand sanitizer concoctions since it naturally softens your hands. It is also a natural preservative that increases shelf life.
• Since vinegar is known to be very effective against bacteria, you can make a 5% solution of plain vinegar and store in a spray bottle for hand sanitizing. Its strong smell vanishes rapidly on application. Still, you can add a few drops of lemon or lavender essential oils if you dislike the smell.

When all is said and done, as research suggests, it is best to wash your hands with soap and water. Consider hand sanitizers only if you do not have the former option close at hand.