Creating your own DIY hand sanitizer spray can be easily made by following the recipe below.
If you are having a hard time sourcing hand sanitizer, fear not my friend – I’ve got you!
To be honest, while researching and reviewing some recipes, I learned that many commercial sanitizers contain ingredients as scary as the bacteria and germs they are trying to protect us from.
Don’t even get me started as I was enraged at my findings.
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Okay, so I must advise you that the active and main ingredient in most recipes is alcohol.
For it to be an effective disinfectant, your DIY hand sanitizer needs to be comprised of at least 60% of 99% isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) or ethanol alcohol (grain alcohol).
Other types of alcohol are toxic (e.g., methanol, butanol), so please make sure you are using the correct one. Got it?
Why Add Essential Oils To Your DIY Hand Sanitizer Spray Recipe?
Of course, adding fragrance to your sanitizer is a nice touch; however, the essential oil you pick may also help further protect you against those pesky germs. For example, clove oil has antimicrobial properties.
Since essential oils tend to pack a punch and can irritate your skin, only use a drop, maybe two.
Other oils, such as lavender may help soothe your skin and relax you.
DIY Hand Sanitizer Spray Recipe
Here we go….
- DIY Hand Sanitizer Recipe Bottle to serve as dispenser
- 2/3 cup 99% rubbing or isopropyl alcohol
- 1/3 cup aloe vera gel
- 1-2 drops essential oil of your choice (optional)
Mix all the ingredients together and pour the batch in a bottle. The next step is a little bit more complicated, screw the top on.
Only kidding…you’re all set and on your way to disinfecting your hands.
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But wait, there’s more….
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still recommends washing our hands with soap and water whenever possible since handwashing will reduce all types of germs and chemicals.
In other words, alcohol-based sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of microbes on our hands, but sanitizers donoteliminate all types of germs.
Therefore, washing our hands with soap and water for a minimum of at least 20 seconds is our best defense.
The friction during the handwashing process helps lift up dirt and microbes, including disease-causing germs from our skin, so they can then be rinsed off from our hands.
Properly rinsing the soap away with clean water will wash away those evil germs and minimizes the skin irritation caused by soap residue.
Lastly, while using a DIY hand sanitizer, you must use a generous amount and, when possible, wash your hands as soon as possible.
Should You Use A Dryer To Dry Your Hands?
Noooooooooooo!!
Years ago, I was asked to research and write a marketing piece promoting the use of drying your hands with paper towels instead of hand dryers.
The company that hired me was selling paper rolls to restaurants and public schools.
What I learned was most people DO NOT thoroughly wash their hands. Instead, they play “pretend” and then walk over to the public hand dryer to blow their nastiness around.
What’s worse…well, I’m glad you asked.
You are breathing in all those germs and joining in on the bacteria party. My friends have seen me dash out of public bathrooms faster than a speeding bullet more than once, anytime they hit the GIVE ME SOME GERMS button.
Among my many friends, I will vow to say I am not the crazy one out of the bunch.
Sorry, not sorry! If you spent a week reviewing OSHA studies and illnesses caused by hand dryers, you likely would never eat at a restaurant again.
Fortunately for me, my friends have many excellent qualities, which is why I kept them around.
Among them is their patience in putting up with me and listening to statistics on germ counts.
According to the recommendation of the CDC, I am correct to overreact since they, too, agree that studies have suggested using a clean towel or air-drying your hands is best.
DIY Hand Sanitizer Spray Recipe – Conclusion
Practicing good hygiene is essential to protecting your health. By following basic hand washing techniques, you will greatly reduce your chances of future illnesses.
Since washing our hands with soap and water are not always possible, using a DIY hand sanitizer spray is a good option.
When making your batch of sanitizer, do yourself a favor and make a few extra bottles to keep in your car, desk, and gym bag.
Trust me, the next time you pass by your local coffee shop to grab a cup of joe, you’ll begin to notice as did I that no gloves are used as they SLOWLY place the coffee lid on with BARE HANDS.
Would you like extra sugar or germs with your order? Just saying.
One last thing, don’t forget to include disinfecting surfaces such as doorknobs, TV remotes, and telephones in your routine cleaning schedule.
We all need reminders from time to time!
Read this: What Healthy Non-Perishable Food To Buy?
