This article was medically reviewed by Erik Kramer, DO, MPH. Dr. Erik Kramer is a Board-Certified Primary Care Physician at the University of Colorado. With over 15 years of experience, his clinical interests include obesity and weight management, diabetes care, and preventive care, as well as embracing a holistic approach to primary care. He received his Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) from the Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his residency at Central Maine Medical Center. Dr. Kramer is a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine.
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Washing your hands with soap is better, but if you have no soap and water, hand sanitizer is the second best thing. Commercial hand sanitizer can get expensive, and with the shortage of hand sanitizer due to COVID-19, you may have to resort to making your own.[1] Making your own hand sanitizer is a simple process that results in a formula you can customize to suit your personal tastes.
Steps
Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer
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1Gather your ingredients. This sanitizer closely emulates the commercial kind, without all the chemicals and without the bad smell. Hand sanitizer should not replace hand washing; just use it when you really need it. Here's what you'll need:[2]
- 2/3 cup 99% rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) or 190-proof grain alcohol (Do not substitute other concentrations of alcohol.)
- 1/3 cup pure aloe vera gel (preferably without additives)
- 8 to 10 drops essential oil, such as lavender, clove, cinnamon, or peppermint
- Mixing bowl
- Spoon
- Funnel
- Plastic container
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2Mix the alcohol and aloe vera gel in the bowl. Pour the ingredients into the bowl and use the spoon to mix them together well. The mixture should be completely smooth.[3]
- If you want the solution to be thicker, add another spoonful of aloe vera.
- Or thin it out by adding another spoonful of alcohol.
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3Add the essential oil. Add it one drop at a time, stirring as you go. After about 8 drops, smell the mixture to see whether you like the scent. If it seems strong enough, stop there. If you like a stronger scent, add a few more drops.[4]
- Use whatever scent you enjoy. Lavender, clove, cinnamon, peppermint, cinnamon, lemon, grapefruit and passion fruit all work well.
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4Funnel the mixture into the container. Place the funnel over the mouth of the container and pour the hand sanitizer in. Fill it up, then screw on the lid until you're ready to use it.[5]
- A small squirt bottle works well if you want to carry the sanitizer with you throughout the day.
- If you make too much for the bottle, save the leftover sanitizer in a jar with a tightly-fitted lid.
Witch Hazel-Based Hand Cleaning Solution
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1Gather your ingredients. Some people prefer not to use alcohol-based hand sanitizer, since alcohol has a strong smell and can have a severe drying effect on skin. However, witch-hazel based solutions are not effective against viruses and bacteria.[6] If your goal is to protect yourself from the coronavirus then don't rely on this type of hand sanitizer. Here's what you'll need to make a witch hazel-based hand cleaning solution :
- 1 cup pure aloe vera gel (preferably without additives)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons witch hazel
- 30 drops tea tree oil
- 5 drops essential oil, such as lavender or peppermint
- Mixing bowl
- Spoon
- Funnel
- Plastic container
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2Stir together the aloe vera gel, tea tree oil and witch hazel. If the mixture seems too thin, add another spoonful of aloe vera to thicken it. If it's too thick, add another spoonful of witch hazel.
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3Stir in the essential oil. Since the smell of the tea tree oil is already strong, go easy on the added essential oils. Five or so drops should be enough, but if you want to add more, stir it in one drop at a time.[7]
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4Funnel the mixture into the container. Place the funnel over the mouth of the container and pour the hand cleaning solution in. Fill it up, then screw on the lid until you're ready to use it.[8]
- A small squirt bottle works well if you want to carry the solution with you throughout the day.
- If you make too much for the bottle, save the leftover solution in a jar with a tightly-fitted lid.
Expert Q&A
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QuestionCan I use 70% isopropyl alcohol instead? If yes, how much should be used for method 1?
Erik Kramer, DO, MPHDr. Erik Kramer is a Board-Certified Primary Care Physician at the University of Colorado. With over 15 years of experience, his clinical interests include obesity and weight management, diabetes care, and preventive care, as well as embracing a holistic approach to primary care. He received his Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) from the Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his residency at Central Maine Medical Center. Dr. Kramer is a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine.
Board Certified Primary Care PhysicianUnfortunately, no. For the sanitzer to be effective, it needs to be at least 60% alcohol. Using a 70% isopropyl alcohol will produce a sanitizer that has an alcohol content that's too low. You could use a 91% isopropyl alcohol, as a 2 parts alcohol-1 part aloe vera mixture will produce a sanitizer that's 60.6% alcohol. -
QuestionWhy is vodka, normally less than 50% alcohol a suitable substitute for 99% alcohol?Erik Kramer, DO, MPHDr. Erik Kramer is a Board-Certified Primary Care Physician at the University of Colorado. With over 15 years of experience, his clinical interests include obesity and weight management, diabetes care, and preventive care, as well as embracing a holistic approach to primary care. He received his Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) from the Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his residency at Central Maine Medical Center. Dr. Kramer is a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine.
Board Certified Primary Care PhysicianMost vodkas are not suitable for making hand sanitzer. You'd need a vodka that's at least 190 proof, which will be printed on the product label. For instance, Everclear has options that are 190 proof. -
QuestionCan I use 91% alcohol instead of 99%? Will it still be effective?Erik Kramer, DO, MPHDr. Erik Kramer is a Board-Certified Primary Care Physician at the University of Colorado. With over 15 years of experience, his clinical interests include obesity and weight management, diabetes care, and preventive care, as well as embracing a holistic approach to primary care. He received his Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) from the Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his residency at Central Maine Medical Center. Dr. Kramer is a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine.
Board Certified Primary Care PhysicianYes, you can use 91% alcohol if you're careful with your measurements. A hand sanitizer that's 2 parts 91% isopropyl alcohol and 1 part aloe vera will be 60.6% alcohol. The sanitzer needs to be 60% alcohol to be effective, so this is okay. However, if you accidentally get your measurements wrong, your sanitizer may be minimally effective.
Warnings
- Do not put in the eye! If it does get in the EYE, wash out immediately, or seek medical help as quickly as possible.⧼thumbs_response⧽
References
- ↑ https://www.azfamily.com/news/stores-out-of-hand-sanitizers-here-s-how-to-make/article_6257b43a-5a57-11ea-86e2-f357df7d78bd.html
- ↑ https://relief.unboundmedicine.com/relief/view/CoRespond-Emerging-Topics/2425041/all/Homemade_hand_sanitizer_recipes
- ↑ https://cleanmyspace.com/make-your-own-hand-sanitizer/
- ↑ https://cleanmyspace.com/make-your-own-hand-sanitizer/
- ↑ https://cleanmyspace.com/make-your-own-hand-sanitizer/
- ↑ https://www.nationalacademies.org/based-on-science/covid-witch-hazel
- ↑ https://helloglow.co/hand-sanitizer-with-essential-oils/
- ↑ http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/make-your-own-hand-sanitizer-ze0z1404zcov.aspx#axzz3KCgl8IlX
About This Article
If you’re out of hand sanitizer, you can easily make your own at home using a few ingredients. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, any hand sanitizer you use should have an alcohol concentration of at least 60% or it may not be effective. Either rubbing alcohol or ethanol will work for homemade hand sanitizer. First, pour ⅔ cup (160 mL) of 99% rubbing alcohol or ethanol into a large bowl. Then, add ⅓ cup (80 mL) of pure aloe vera gel. You can use vegetable glycerine instead of aloe vera gel if you’d like. Next, add 8-10 drops of essential oil if you’d like your hand sanitizer to have a nice smell. Consider using essential oils that have antibacterial properties, like thyme, cinnamon, rosemary, and clove. Stir all of the ingredients together, then funnel your hand sanitizer into a clean plastic bottle with a pump or spray lid. Remember that washing your hands with soap and water is more effective than using hand sanitizer. Only use your hand sanitizer when you don’t have access to soap and water, like when you’re on the go. To learn how to store your hand sanitizer, read on!
