This DIY hand sanitizer is easy and cheap to make, and it's effective at killing many surface germs when soap and water aren't available. It uses simple ingredients that moisturize skin, plus essential oils!
10ounces91% isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) or 95% ethanol (Everclear)See Note for other alcohols
2teaspoonsdistilled water
1teaspoonhydrogen peroxide
¼cup pure aloe vera gel
30-40dropsessential oils as desiredSee Notes for recommended essential oils.
pump or squirt bottles12 ounce pump bottle or pour mixture into multiple smaller squirt bottles
Instructions
In a medium bowl, add all ingredients. Whisk well then pour into 12-ounce pump bottle or into multiple smaller bottles. Ideally, let mixture sit 72 hours to destroy any spores in the container, then use on hands whenever soap and water are not available.
Remember, soap and water are the BEST at destroying germs!
Notes
Important to Remember
You must absolutely make sure your mixture is 60%+ alcohol, or it will not be effective.My mathematician friend wrote an equation for calculating the desired final alcohol percentage,so check out his super helpful walk-through of this if you need help.For other types of alcohol, use this online calculator to help you know how much water to use. This calculator produces an 75% alcohol, and we do not use as much hydrogen peroxide in our recipe as the calculator. However, it is generally very helpful in knowing about how much water you can to use.
Essential Oils
Types of essential oils to use:
tea tree
eucalyptus
thyme
rosemary
cinnamon
clove
chamomile
peppermint
lavender
Tea tree, eucalyptus, and thyme were actually studied for their antiviral properties, so we include these in most of our disinfectant blends. Disclaimer: We are NOT chemists, doctors, or medical professionals. We do not play them on the internet. We are simply sharing a recipe for an alcohol-based cleaning spray that we've used for years and hope others will enjoy.Continue to use germ-fighting best practices as recommended by the CDC, such as regular, proper hand-washing, coughing or sneezing into your elbow, etc. Visit their site for more information.