How to Make Hand Sanitizer & Disinfectant Spray at Home

Why Use a Hand Sanitizer?

Whether it is a DIY hand sanitizer or store-bought, they are usually portable, affordable and a quick way of getting rid of germs. The alcohol present in this product kills off bacteria, protecting one against diseases like gastrointestinal woes or respiratory problems. Because alcohol can cause the skin to dry, most sanitizers come with moisturizers.

But store-bought hand sanitizers are not always good, as they may be too strong.

Benefits of Homemade Hand Sanitizer

To understand the benefits of homemade hand sanitizer, let us first look at the limitations of the store-bought ones.

1. Most of these products contain a substance called Triclosan which forms chloroform when mixed with water and may disturb the hormones in a child.
2. Store-bought sanitizers tackle only bacteria, not viruses. So there’s no protection against flu.
3. The 0.01% it does not kill is probably because they are resistant to its effect. They pass on this resistance when they multiply.
4. Being too strong on disinfecting makes your immune system weaker.
5. If there is dirt, blood or soil, it must be cleaned first, before using the sanitizer.

Given these limitations, a DIY hand sanitizer is a better option because they are much milder and safer when ingested. You know what is going into them and can modulate its benefits according to your requirements. You can also switch the ingredients if you are allergic to some of them, a contrast to the store-bought ones, where you don't know the ingredients well. Now if you ask - how to make hand sanitizer at home – we have the answer already!

Also Read : Limitations Of Hand Sanitizer

Homemade Recipes of Hand Sanitizer

DIY hand sanitizer spray is much easier to make and contain ingredients mostly available easily in stores. The different kinds that you can make are -

1. Kids Safe Mild Sanitizer

This hand sanitizer is mild and does not dry the skin – a perfect fit for your kids!

Ingredient

• Aloe Vera gel – 1/4th cup
• Essential oil – 20 drops

How to Make

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
2. Store it in a dark glass container.
3. For essential oil, you may choose lavender, geranium, rosemary or tea-tree. They are anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, antiseptic and anti-microbial.
4. Aloe Vera helps retain moisture in the skin.
5. It is also a homemade hand sanitizer without alcohol.
6. To make a homemade hand sanitizer without Aloe Vera, you may replace Aloe Vera with one teaspoon of carrier oil like coconut or sweet almond, ½ teaspoon of glycerin, and 2-3 drops of Vitamin E oil.

2. Strong Hand Sanitizer

We adults often need a stronger defense or sanitizer. There are ways to make the natural hand sanitizers more effective, without destroying the skin.

Ingredient

• Ethyl Alcohol – 1 tablespoon
• Vegetable Glycerin – ½ teaspoon
• Aloe vera gel – ¼ cup
• Cinnamon essence – 10 drops
• Tea-tree essence – 10 drops
• Distilled water – per requirement

How to Make

1. Combine the alcohol, glycerin and aloe vera gel in a bowl.
2. Add the essential oil to this mixture.
3. You may also add any other essential oil like lavender for fragrance.
4. Add on the water till the desired consistency is reached.
5. To make a homemade hand sanitizer without alcohol, you may replace it with witch hazel.

Also Read : Importance Of Isopropyl Alcohol In Hand Sanitizer

3. Multi-purpose Disinfectant Spray

When you are learning about how to make sanitizer, you may also be looking for disinfectants that could be used for the house, as well as your hands. We have a recipe just for that!

Ingredient

• Non-distilled vinegar – ½ cup
• Distilled Vinegar – ½ cup
• Water – 3/4th cup
• Essential oil – 50 drops

How to Make

1. Mix non-distilled vinegar and essential oil in a bottle. Shake it well.
2. In the case of essential oil, you can opt for lavender, tree-tea, rosemary, and so on. You may mix more than one, keeping the total number of drops, around 50.
3. Add the water and the distilled vinegar and shake it again.

This article has got you covered for a wide range of ‘how to make sanitizers at home. Just remember! Always use a dark-colored glass bottle for storage. Some recipes may ask you to use rubbing alcohol or isopropyl. However, they are extremely harmful when ingested. For the DIY hand sanitizer container, the cap/cover of the bottle should preferably have a spray, for ease of use. If you have got the points in mind, your natural, healthy living would go a notch higher.

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