Everyone usually desires to look clean and smell good. You feel more comfortable that way. It is because of this need to remain clean that most persons carry sanitizers around. The hand sanitizer is now a useful accessory for everyone. It has a very heavy fragrance and it is just the right size that can fit into your pocket. You can also but this sanitizer in your bags and purse can carry them around. The sanitizer comes in handy because the world today is filled with germs and it’s better to remain safe and clean.

Some of the ingredients used to make the hand sanitizers on the market are the Ethyl alcohol and Amino-Methyl Propanol, and they are effective for killing germs. The Ethyl Alcohol is purely alcohol; it is perfect for killing germs and can dry the hand quickly. It’s presence in other cosmetic products allows the effective absorption of other ingredients. Following from that analogy therefore, anything thing mixed with Ethyl Alcohol moves freely and faster through the skin and bloodstream.

Yes, it might be true that the alcohol in the hand sanitizer dries out very quickly; a little part of it enters the skin. A research was done on an adult using a high amount of sanitizers and high levels of alcohol were seen in their bloodstream.

Amino-Methyl Propanol is yet another chemical ingredient present in the hand sanitizer. It is also easily absorbed by the skin (thanks to Ethyl of course). The Environmental Working Group (EWG) said that its toxicity level is quite high and irritates the skin. It also gives out some respiratory effect, but other than that, it is good to use.

Another thing you may want to know about hand sanitizers is that it has a lot of fragrance. These fragrances are actually the combination of other several chemicals that may be harmful. In light of all that has been said, it becomes important to evaluate your usage of hand sanitizers.

Unfortunately, not a lot of persons may want to give up using over-the-shelf hand sanitizers; which may be harmful. Thankfully, your usage of hand sanitizers should not come to an end because of all these outcomes. With a DIY hand sanitizer recipe, you can make your own hand sanitizer. It very easy to do, and the ingredients you’ll need are very affordable and safe. Plus, you can add an extra skill to what you’re already doing.

There are two DIY hand sanitizer recipes; one is the gentle hand sanitizer, and the other is the stronger hand sanitizer. So you can make either one, depending on what you want. Let’s start with the gentle hand sanitizer

The Gentle Hand Sanitizer

This sanitizer is herbal and it doesn’t dry the skin immediately.  But it actually refreshes the skin, thanks to the aloe-vera in it. The making of it is so simple that even kids can easily learn to make it. You can even make it in the container you plan on storing the gel, so you don’t have to transfer from one bowl to another.

So what do you need?

  •         ¼ cup of aloe-vera gel (an organic one is preferable)
  •         20 drops of germ destroyer essential oil (it has to be kid-safe)

How to mix it

  •         First, you mix both ingredients thoroughly then put it in a silicon tube you can reuse.
  •         Use the mixture only when you need it, not all the time, so you can save up on doing more.

The Stronger Hand sanitizer Recipe

Some persons may not want to use the gentle hand sanitizer so the alternative is the stronger one.  It works just like the over-the-shelf hand sanitizer would, but without the triclosan. This recipe comes in handy for those who work in germ-infested areas like, doctors and engineers.  This recipe is not kids-friendly, hence, should not be used on kids

 What you need

  •         1 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol
  •         ¼ cup of aloe-vera gel
  •         ½ tablespoon of vegetable glycerin (this is optional)
  •         10 drops of  cinnamon essential oil
  •         10 drops of tea tree essential oil
  •         Add distilled watered (like colloidal silver/ionic silver. They give additional antibacterial power)
  •         You can add other essential oil to make it scent well.

How to make it

  1.       First, mix the aloe vera gel with the rubbing alcohol and the optional glycerin in a bowl.
  2.       Next, you add the requisite amount of cinnamon and tea tree essential oil and a drop or two, of any other oil you may want to add. This additional oil is for scents. So it could be peppermint, orange, lavender, lemongrass; these are all good options.
  3.       Mix all these ingredients with the ionic or colloidal silver distilled water. This water thins the mixture. So add the water to thin the mixture to your desire
  4.       Next, get a small funnel or a medicine dropper to put the hand sanitizer into a pump or spray bottle.

And that’s how you make a DIY hand sanitizer.

Something to take note of;

Ensure you check with your doctor or healthcare practitioner, as to the safety of the DIY hand sanitizer before you start using it. They will tell you if the essential oil is good to use. You should know also that aloe-vera gel is a stable substance for counter storage. So it is either you make this hand sanitizer in small quantities, or you get a commercial brand hand sanitizer.

Using the commercial sanitizers isn’t recommended because it irritates the skin and it sometimes smells weird. It also contains high levels of alcohol that is very bad and too strong for children to use. So you could as well make your own gentle hand sanitizer for you and your kids. You could also make a stronger hand sanitizer for yourself that you can use when you’re in the public place. The strong hand sanitizer also comes in handy at home for those who change baby diapers.

You can avoid and limit bacteria around you naturally. You don’t have to use commercial brands. With the steps above, you can begin to make your own DIY hand sanitizer.