When there is no hand sanitizer to be found what can you do? Make your own! It’s very easy to make DIY Hand Sanitizer at home. I’ll show you how to make homemade hand sanitizer with only three ingredients.
How to Make Hand Sanitizer
When you can’t wash your hands with soap and water, hand sanitizer is one of the most important steps you can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to those around you.
With the Coronavirus scare, hand sanitizer is sold out everywhere. I can’t believe it! I have gone all over town and can’t find it anywhere, so making my own was the next best thing!
Making homemade hand sanitizer is super easy to do and you can most likely still find the ingredients you need in most stores. You might even already have these ingredients in your home now!
I’ve made homemade foaming soap and room spray in the past, and this is another easy recipe for you to make at home.
If soap and water are not available, use this simple to make alcohol-based homemade hand sanitizer, then wash with soap and water as soon as you can.
Prevention Is Key
Stay safe from catching a virus like the flu or Coronavirus by washing your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and soap, keep from touching your eyes and nose and place bottles of this homemade recipe in your car and home for quick use.
I found a bag of travel containers for five dollars and filled them up with my new sanitizer. Get creative with your containers by using water bottles, mason jars or empty soap dispensers.
Does Hand Sanitizer kill germs?
According to the Centers for Disease Control, hand sanitizers don’t kill all types of germs, such as a stomach bug called norovirus, some parasites, and Clostridium difficile, which causes severe diarrhea.
What Ingredients do I need to make hand sanitizer?
You’ll need:
- Rubbing Alcohol (Isopropyl Alcohol) Get the strongest percentage of alcohol you can find.
- Aloe Vera Gel – I found this in my grocery store near the sun block in the beauty supply isle. Get it in bulk here.
- Essential Oil (Optional)
- Containers such as small travel bottles, spray bottles, recycled water bottles, recycled liquid soap bottles or a mason jar.
What percentage of alcohol is needed in DIY hand sanitizer?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control recommend ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, or a mix of both in a concentration of 60% to 95%. For reference, Purell’s active ingredient is 70% ethanol.
You’ll want a rubbing alcohol that contains at least 90-99% alcohol for this DIY sanitizer. Rubbing alcohol of this strength kills many different kinds of bacteria, including antibiotic resistant bacteria and TB bacteria.
Because we will be mixing it with aloe vera and diluting the mixture, the stronger the alcohol content the better.
Do I really need essential oil?
Rubbing alcohol has a very strong smell and why putting several drops of essential oil into your mixture can make it more pleasant to rub on your hands.
Don’t worry if you do not have essential oils at home, this recipe will still kill germs without it. The alcohol smell goes away after the hand sanitizer dries on your hands.
Can I Substitute Vodka for Rubbing Alcohol?
No, because vodka is usually 80 proof and that is only 40% alcohol. This is not enough alcohol content to kill disease causing viruses or bacteria.
Staying home NOW? Here are some activities you might enjoy:
- 55 Boredom Busters for Teenagers
- 15 Easy Dinners Made with Pantry Staples
- Printable Weekly Calendar for Kids to Stay Organized for School at Home
Easy Kids Crafts:
- Glow in the Dark Galaxy Jars
- Easy Rainbow Fluffy Slime Recipe
- Recycled Bottle Cat Container
- Lego Bingo – Printable Game
- DIY T-Shirt Dress Craft
- Animal Paper Cups Craft
Home Organization Ideas:
- Kitchen Pantry Organizing Ideas with Free Printable Food Labels
- Quick Bathroom Organizing Ideas
- 10 Smart Kitchen Organizing Ideas
- Laundry Room Organizing Ideas
Homemade Hand Sanitizer
Video
Supplies
- 1 ⅓ cup Isopropyl Alcohol 90% or higher alcohol content
- ⅔ cup Aloe Vera Gel
- 8 drops Essential Oils citrus or lavender
Instructions
- Mix ingredients together in a bowl or large liquid measuring cup.
- Pour hand sanitizer into containers. Use a small funnel if you have one.
- Place a quarter size on your hands. Rub hands together for 15-20 seconds until they feel dry.
- Do not rinse or wipe off the hand sanitizer before it's dry.
When you can’t wash your hands with soap and water, hand sanitizer is one of the most important steps you can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to those around you.
Will Aloe Vera Lotion work and mix up with the alcohol? Can’t find the gel everyone must have gotten your recipe. Thank you for posting this.
the best thing I have found is to whisk it together, that works pretty well. takes a lots of whisking but it doesn’t separate later!
Hello Amy. Thanks for this simple recipe. Can the aloe gel be substituted with glycerin. Its difficult to get aloe gel where I live. Thanks again.
I think so, the aloe vera gel is just to make your hands softer. Try it and let us know how it works for you!
Will baby oil gel work instead of aloe Vera gel?
Hi, would surgical spirit be suitable instead of alcohol, would you recommend to add it to antibacterial hand sanitizer gels which I have plenty of.
I have to shake mine for the gel to not be clumpy at the bottom of my containers. It must be the kind of aloe vera gel you are using that is making yours more solidified. You can always leave out the aloe vera gel and spray alcohol mixed with some essential oil on your hands. The aloe vera gel just makes your hands not dry out so much.
Thanks! As long as you have a percentage of 60% or higher alcohol content in your hand sanitizer, it would work. Take into consideration that the aloe gel will dilute it.
Hi Amy! I have isopropyl and Ethyl alcohol. Could I take the measurement for the alcohol and do half ethyl, half isopropyl for the 1 1/3 cup? This is the most helpful recipe I have found so far. Thanks!
I am having issues with the Aloe Vera Gel clumping and not incorporating with the other ingredients. I tried adding the gel to the alcohol mix and again with the gel and then gradually adding the alcohol. Both ways resulted in a solidified Aloe Vera Gel goop, separated from the liquid.Any suggestions?
Thank you for sharing this recipe. So helpful and I have these items in my house!
Great idea! I was able to put this into a small spray bottle and use for grocery carts too.
Sorry you can’t find these ingredients! Hopefully they will be in stores again soon.
It’s impossible to find the ingredients! I can’t find alcohol or aloe vera gel anywhere locally or on the internet. Otherwise, I like your recipe. 😉
BTW, I’m no chemist but to the person that says the alcohol is diluted when you mix it with the other stuff, are you sure?
On the hand sanitizer bottle it says, Active ingredient Alcohol 70%. It’s mixed with whatever they use.
Thanks Amy,
Kathy
I’ve made hand sanitizer in exactly the same way as you describe. I ordered 99% ethanol online. The ethanol mixed with surgical spirit ( or hydrogen peroxide) mix 1:1 will also clean things like supermarket trolley ( cart) handles. Spray on and wipe off with a tissue. Keep it away from children and pets of course !