Hand Sanitizer Recipe: DIY at Home

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Easily make hand sanitizer at home with 3 simple ingredients! This homemade hand sanitizer recipe uses alcohol, aloe vera gel, and essential oils with the perfect ratio to sanitize without extra chemicals and fussy ingredients. Perfect when need some in a jiffy!

I am actually not a huge hand sanitizing person. I never use it. Don’t tell my mom or I will have an hour long lecture about it! I believe our immune systems, with exercise, proper nutrition, loads of water, a positive attitude, vitamin D and C can stand strong. The body gets stronger when it is exposed to dirt because it learns to build a defense system to protect it and fight off viruses and bacteria, which it needs to be able to do. To survive.

Ok, don’t run from this hand sanitizer recipe because I said that, let me explain more.

Sometimes our bodies need a little extra help.

I used hand sanitizer (which is an alcohol based waterless hand hygiene product) when my babies were first born when they needed a little boost of defense from germs. When cold and flu season hits we use it occasionally if we have nothing accessible to wash our hands before eating.

With sickness going around we are all a little anxious, trying to stay healthy. So, I am fully on-board using hand sanitizer these days! But when I went to the store to try to find it every one is out of stock. Finally I found 91% rubbing alcohol and bought it to make it from scratch. This is my favorite hand sanitizer diy project that I hope you make as it is all-natural, simple, and helps disinfect when you need it most.

Hand Sanitizer Recipe: Ingredients & Items Needed

1. Get a spray bottle, about 2-8 ounces. I am reusing an old sanitizer spray bottle from Trader Joe’s and refill it with my recipe and reserve the rest in a glass bottle to store in the kitchen.
2. Use a funnel to pour the mixture into the spray bottle.
3. Gather a small mixing bowl and spoon to mix the ingredients together
4. Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) or ethanol alcohol at 91% or higher. Anything less will not sanitize in the recipe. When it mixes it should be about 68% alcohol which meets CDC recommendations.
5. Aloe vera gel or glycerin which keeps hands and skin moist so the alcohol does not dry the skin out.
6. Essential oils which provide a more appeasing scent. Make sure not to use too much and only what is suggested because you do not want to dilute the mixture with this. Essential oils in sanitizer is only for helping with the alcohol smell.

How to make homemade essential oil hand sanitizer spray

Step 1. In a bowl combine ⅔ cup 91% alcohol or higher with ⅓ cup aloe vera gel or glycerin. Stir until blended.
Step 2. Add 10 drops of essential oil (no more because you do not want to dilute the mixture.) It should be 68% alcohol to sanitize.
Step 3. Using a funnel pour the mixture into spray bottle. Use as needed.

Here are a few tips to use it to help stay protected.

When to use sanitizer

Spray and wipe down shopping carts before use.
Use on hands and rub together after touching things, grocery shopping, picking up food deliver and pick-up, wiping down cups from the drive-through, going to the zoo, play dates – yes friends, we will get to do all those things again soon!
Use this anytime and keep remaking it and refilling a small spray bottle to keep in your purse, pocket, backpack or leave in the car.

Favorite Essential Oils

Try energizing ones such as orange and lemon, or a calming fragrance such as lavender.

Troubleshooting: Cant find aloe vera gel or glycerin

When I first make this I could not find aloe vera gel as the stores were out of it. I used aloe sun relief, which has aloe and alcohol so you are save to use that in its place. Just note that when using that this hand sanitizer recipe will have a more potent odor.

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