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How to make homemade hand sanitizer with essential oils
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Homemade Hand Sanitizer 2 Ways

While I have always used a natural witch hazel-based recipe, the CDC recommends that all sanitizers contain at least 60% alcohol in order to kill tough germs and viruses. So that's the recipe we currently recommend. It is important to be aware that these recipes have not been tested in the lab—so there is no guarantee of the actual amount of alcohol they contain.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Wellness
Keyword: essential oils, hand sanitizer, immunity
Yield: 8 ounces
Author: Stephanie Pollard
Cost: $5

Equipment

  • Four 2-ounce pump bottles
  • Funnel
  • Small bowl

Materials

Hand Sanitizer with 99% Isopropyl Alcohol

  • ¾ cup isopropyl alcohol 99%
  • ¼ cup aloe vera gel store-bought will last longer
  • 1 teaspoon glycerin
  • 10 drops essential oil

Hand Sanitizer with 70% Isopropyl Alcohol

  • ¾ cup isopropyl alcohol 70%
  • 1-½ tablespoons aloe vera gel store-bought will last longer
  • 1 teaspoon glycerin
  • 10 drops essential oil

Instructions

  • Add all the ingredients to a small bowl and stir to combine.
  • Divide hand sanitizer between four 2-ounce pump bottles and use within 6 months to a year.
  • To use, apply a nickel-sized pump of sanitizer to the palm of one hand. Then rub your hands together making sure to get the fronts, backs and in between all fingers. Continue rubbing until hands feel dry.
    How to make homemade hand sanitizer with essential oils

Notes

If you're using 70% isopropyl alcohol, your hand sanitizer is going to be more watery than you're used to. That's because 70% isopropyl alcohol is already watered down, so you can't add much glycerin or aloe vera without watering it down even further, and thus, making it ineffective (less than the 60% the CDC recommends).
If you're not a fan of the texture, try putting it in a small spray bottle and using it as a hand spray as opposed to a pump-able gel.
Essential oils - Use any of the following in the recipe for your chosen essential oil:
Can't find rubbing alcohol? Try 190-proof grain (ethyl) alcohol instead.
Can't find aloe vera gel? Replace 1:1 with glycerin.