Is it possible to make your own hand sanitiser? It is actually extremely easy, as long as you can find the required ingredients. It is worth stocking up when you find some.
I am sure I don’t need to tell you about the importance of washing your hands with soap and hot water for twenty seconds minimum to help stop the spread of the germs. However, hand sanitiser is super helpful when you are out and about, when you may not have access to soap and water.
It is also well known that hand sanitiser is almost impossible to find in the shops or online at this point. The realisation that the threat of an epidemic was real and imminent seemed to occur to everyone at the same time, even though we had rumblings for weeks!
What do you need to make your own hand sanitiser?
Alcohol is the vital ingredient, but, according to what I have been reading, your finished product should contain at least 60% alcohol to be effective.
Once you have cracked how to make your own hand sanitiser, you can keep a pot by the front door for people entering, one in your car and another in your hand bag or pocket so that you are never caught out.
I purchase my rubbing alcohol*
Make your own hand sanitiser
Ingredients
Rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol)
Aloe vera gel
Essential oils (optional)
Method
It is so easy to make your own hand sanitiser, but may be tricker to find a suitable container for it. As I usually buy bar soap rather than hand wash, I didn’t have any empty squirty bottles to hand. The empty Lush containers I had been collecting to take back for recycling came in handy here!
All you have to do is mix 2 parts of alcohol to one part gel. It will smell very strongly of alcohol, so some essential oils can help mask that slightly. The addition of perfumed oils isn’t actually essential, however.
I used US measuring cups and mixed 2/3 of a cup of rubbing alcohol in a glass bowl with 1/3 of a cup of gel. Stir it up well, then add a few drops of essential oil if you have some to hand. I went for lemon as it’s quite a strong smell and put in 12 drops.
This filled three of my Lush containers. Since the mixture is runnier than your average hand gel, a squirty bottle will definitely be the best option, however.
Stay safe
Washing your hands regularly with soap and hot water remains the best defence, but if you make your own hand sanitiser you at least have a second line of defence.
Stay safe everyone. I hope you all keep well and may this horrible threat pass quickly. Don’t forget to look after your elderly family and neighbours!
You can find up to date health advice on the WHO website.
Julia says
A handy (geddit!) post,.
Each of us has a small individual pocket sized bottle, which we refill from a standard sized one when needed. Sadly it’s 3/4 empty and I didn’t notice before the panic buying set in otherwise I’d have picked another one to replace it.