Read this “how to make hand sanitizer at home guide’ if you want to save some money or when you find all the sanitizers have been sold out.
In short, this is how to make hand sanitizer at home:
- Get ¾ cup of isopropyl alcohol or rubbing alcohol 99% pure.
- Mix that with ¼ cup of aloe vera gel.
- Make sure to get the amounts right! otherwise, the gel might not kill the germs.
- Add 2 drops of your favorite essential oil for a specific sent (optional).
After mixing the ingredients put it in a travel tube for-ease-of-use.
Also good to know. The consistency of your homemade hand sanitizer will not be the same as the shop-bought sanitizers. But, when on your Homestead or in your off-grid palace this is always good to have. Of course, it is also perfect to have one in your regular apartment, Townhouse, or on the go ;-).
So now you know how to make it we go a little bit deeper into the different ingredients of this homemade disinfection gel
What is Isopropyl Alcohol or Rubbing Alcohol?
Isopropyl alcohol, isopropanol, IPA, or rubbing alcohol as some refer to is commonly used as disinfectant within Pharmaceutics, hospitals, electronics, and medical device manufacturers and cleanrooms.
Different purity grades or concentrations have different effects on what you clean. And it can be very dangerous if used incorrectly. Important to know is that all disinfectants need to have at least 60% rubbing alcohol stated by the CDC
Aloe Vera Gel For Hand Sanitizer
You might call aloe vera “nature’s superstar”. Aloe Vera contains antioxidants, enzymes, Vitamins A and C, and it is highly anti-inflammatory. In this DIY hand sanitizer, it is mainly used for its antibacterial and calming effect. Since pure alcohol might irritate the skin when applied directly onto it.
Why is it Important to get the Measurements for the Hand Gel Correct?
For the sanitizer to kill some germs you need to have at least 60% alcohol, slightly more might be better. Therefore a 3 to 4 ratio will give the gel enough alcohol to kill germs and at the same time, the aloe vera and oils soothe the skin.
Essential Oils You Can Use For Your Hand Sanitizer to Smell Better
Sometimes you want your hand sanitizer to smell better or different than before. You can do this by adding essential oils. The essential oils you can use for DIY hand sanitizer are numerous. Below you’ll find a few
Glove
A spice used in numerous dishes and meat stoves or sausages. Has a Spicy and somewhat earthy smell to it.
Peppermint
We all know peppermint right. Fresh and sharp on the nose.
Mint
Despite peppermint, normal mint smells sweet and not as sharp on the nose. You can also start growing herbs indoors.
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus has a sweet pine scent with a minty touch.
Lemon
Lemons are widely used in regular soaps and cleaning detergents both for anti-bacterial purposes as for their fresh and ‘clean’ smell.
The substance of DIY Hand Sanitizer
So you have been putting in a lot of effort to buy the ingredients you did not have, to measure and mix all the ingredients precisely but then the outcome is not what you had in mind. True. I guess almost any homemade item is different than store-bought.
You might experience some weird globules and that after a time the alcohol and gel will separate. About the globules there is nothing much you can do, I would say try to mash it a little further. Mix the gel and alcohol by shaking your travel tube thoroughly.
Note of caution
Make sure to mix the Gel and rubbing alcohol using clean disinfected utensils. Let the concoction rest for at least 72 hours (shake regularly to mix) to kill all unwanted germs in the hand-sanitizer.