How to Make Hand Sanitizer: A Step-by-Step Guide

Hand sanitizer has become exceptionally popular over the last year as the COVID-19 pandemic has rocked the world. Of course, hand sanitizer existed long before the pandemic but this deadly disease has made many people realize that supplies are limited.

The good news is that you can still buy high-quality hand sanitizer online. But, if you’re adamant about making it yourself you should try the following step-by-step guide:

You’ll Need:

The first step is to get your ingredients together, this will make it easy to mix the hand sanitizer. You’ll need:

• Aloe Vera gel
• Rubbing alcohol
• Essential oils – these are optional!

All the above items can be easily picked up from your local chemist or many of the bigger supermarket chains. It is important to use pure aloe vera gel and that the rubbing alcohol is at least 91% alcohol. If you don’t the hand sanitizer will mix fine but it won’t be as effective against bacteria and other germs.

How To Make It

Putting the ingredients together is simple. You’ll need to get a mixing bowl and add the rubbing alcohol to the aloe vera gel. You’ll want 2 measures of rubbing alcohol to every 1 measure of aloe vera gel. This creates the right consistency and the power to kill germs. You can also add a few drops of essential oil. As mentioned, this isn’t essential but does add a nice aroma to the hand sanitizer. You can choose any essential oil you like, it’s just an aroma. But, limit the oil to 2-3 drops, it’s powerful stuff.

It’s best to combine all these ingredients in the bowl and then leave it to sit for three days. The purpose of this is to kill the bacteria that have been mixed in with the ingredients. The result is a pure hand sanitizer that should be capable of killing 99% of germs, including the COVID-19 virus. It goes without saying that this is a hand sanitizer, for external use only.

After three days you’ll be able to leave the bowl on the side and scoop out a little every time you need to sanitize your hands. However, a better option is to get some bottles with pump-action dispensers. You’ll need to sterilize the bottles by putting them in boiling water for ten minutes. You can then add your hand sanitizer and carry it anywhere with you.

For a finishing touch, you can even make a nice label to remind you what’s in the bottle, what scent it is, and add a positive message to help you feel better about life! You should note that this is relatively sticker, a little will go a long way. If you find it is too sticky to be practical then swap the aloe vera gel for glycerol and hydrogen peroxide. Mixing some boiling water with 6 parts rubbing alcohol with 2 parts glycerin and 1 part hydrogen peroxide will give the same result but less sticky. Try both and see which you prefer!