Hand sanitizer has become immensely popular over the past year as the COVID-19 pandemic rocked the world. Of course, hand sanitizer was around long before the pandemic, but this deadly disease made many people realize that supplies are limited.
The good news is that you can still buy high quality hand sanitizer online. However, if you are determined to do it yourself, here's a step-by-step guide that you should try:
You need:
The first step is to bring your ingredients together. This makes it easier to mix the hand sanitizer. You need:
- Aloe vera gel
- Rubbing alcohol
- Essential oils – these are optional!
All of the above items can easily be picked up from your local pharmacist or from many larger supermarket chains. It is important to use pure aloe vera gel and that the rubbing alcohol contains at least 91% alcohol. If you don't, the hand sanitizer will mix well, but will not be as effective against bacteria and other germs.
How to do it
Putting the ingredients together is easy. You will need a mixing bowl and add the alcohol to the aloe vera gel. You want 2 measures of alcohol per 1 measure of aloe vera gel. This creates the right consistency and the ability to kill germs. You can also add a few drops of essential oil. As already mentioned, this is not absolutely necessary, but gives the hand sanitiser a pleasant aroma. You can choose any essential oil you like. It's just a flavor. But limit the oil to 2-3 drops, it's powerful stuff.
It is best to combine all of these ingredients in the bowl and then let it sit for three days. The aim is to kill the bacteria mixed with the ingredients. The result is a pure hand sanitizer that should be able to kill 99% of all germs, including the COVID-19 virus. It goes without saying that this is a hand sanitizer that is only intended for external use.
After three days, you can leave the bowl on its side and scoop out a little every time you need to sanitize your hands. However, a better option is to buy some bottles with pump dispensers. You need to sterilize the bottles by placing them in boiling water for ten minutes. You can then add your hand sanitizer and take it with you wherever you go.
For the finishing touch, you can even make a nice label reminding you of what's in the bottle, what scent it is, and adding a positive message to make you feel better in life! You should note that this is relatively sticker, a little will go a long way. If you find it's too sticky to be practical, swap out the aloe vera gel for glycerin and hydrogen peroxide. Mixing some boiling water with 6 parts alcohol with 2 parts glycerin and 1 part hydrogen peroxide gives the same result but is less sticky. Try both and find out which one you prefer!
