How to Make Your Own Natural Hand Cleaner

I love hand sanitizers but I truly hate all the chemicals that they have in them! In today’s world, you need to put your hygiene on the top of your priority list. Because it can literally save your life. I’m sure that you would agree with me on that. So, I did my research and then I did some testing. After some trial and error, I wanted to share how to make your own hand sanitizer using essential oils, of course!

This is a simple, cheap, and all-natural approach to another everyday product we all use. It’s easy to make and you can make a fair in advance. Because if you have children, you might need a bigger amount. If your kids are even a bit like mine, you know what amounts of hand sanitizer they waste. So, let’s make your own hand sanitizer and save money.

Why Would You Want To Make Your Own Hand Sanitizer?

There are many reasons you might want to make your own hand sanitizer. For starters, most of the store-bought brands have tons of artificial ingredients that could cause allergies, skin irritations, and could be harmful to our environment.

Reason 1: What’s In The Store-Bought Hand Sanitizers Anyway?

Just recently, I read something very disturbing in the news. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced recalls of several hand sanitizers due to the potential presence of methanol.

If you’re not familiar with what methanol alcohol is and what could the effects on your health could be, you might want to stop and read a bit. Because it could be pretty scary.

Methanol is a toxic alcohol that is used industrially as a solvent, pesticide, and alternative fuel source. It also occurs naturally in humans, animals, and plants. Foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, fruit juices, fermented beverages, and diet soft drinks containing aspartame are the primary sources of methanol in the human body.

Most methanol poisonings occur as a result of drinking beverages contaminated with methanol or from drinking methanol-containing products. In the industrial setting, inhalation of high concentrations of methanol vapor and absorption of methanol through the skin are as effective as the oral route in producing toxic effects.

The characteristic pungent (alcohol) odor of methanol does not provide sufficient warning of low levels of exposure.

via CDC

That said, there are other common ingredients in over-the-counter hand sanitizers, that you might want to be careful with, too. There are:

28 active ingredients, including triclosan and benzethonium chloride, are not eligible for evaluation under the FDA’s OTC Drug Review for use in consumer antiseptic rubs.

We’ve also reaffirmed our need for more data on three other active ingredients, including ethyl alcohol, which is the most commonly used ingredient in hand sanitizers.

via FDA

As it turns out, we’re officially using (and over-using lately) products that we count on protecting our health, but we haven’t researched their main ingredients well. And those unresearched ingredients might turn to be very harmful to our health.

So, as store-bought hand sanitizer is out of the question, I dove into the world wide web to find healthier and natural solutions that will help me make the perfect DIY hand sanitizer.

Reason 2: You Can Make Your Own Hand Sanitizer Using Harmless Natural Ingredients Only.

You can use a variety of natural ingredients that are proven to not have any negative impact on your health. However, if you are allergic to any of these ingredients, don’t use them. You can easily find a substitute for pretty much all of them.

The most basic recipe you can follow is to 2 parts of 99% isopropyl alcohol/rubbing alcohol with 1 part aloe vera.

You can use a lower concentration of alcohol but have in mind that according to the CDC, hand sanitizers with less than 60% alcohol may not work on all types of germs. If they do work, they may merely reduce the growth of germs rather than kill them outright.

IMPORTANT!

Never use any other types of alcohol (e.g., methanol, butanol). They are highly toxic and could be very harmful to children and adults.

It’s also important to know that if you are using a product that contains a lower percentage of alcohol (e.g., 70% alcohol) then you’ll need to increase the amount of alcohol in the recipe. Otherwise, it won’t be as effective.

It must be kept in mind that this recipe has not been lab-tested, so there is no guarantee the concentration of alcohol is higher than the recommended minimum 60% in the final product you make.

Natural Ingredients You Can Use For DIY Hand Sanitizer (But Not All At Once)

All of these ingredients can be included in different recipes for DIY hand sanitizer but not all at the same time. The list is not inclusive of all of the possible options but it’s a good start.

isopropyl or rubbing alcohol
aloe vera gel (you can even get that from your aloe vera plant)
essential oils (tea tree oil, lavender oil, clove, eucalyptus, peppermint, etc.)
lemon juice
hydrogen peroxide
glycerol
sterile distilled or boiled cold water

Reason 3: Adding Essential Oils Makes It Even Better!

Essential oils in your hand sanitizer will not only add an amazing smell but will also benefit the end product with their own properties.

For example:

Carrot seed oil: Has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Eucalyptus oil: Used to treat colds, congestion, and coughs, and is being studied for antibacterial benefits.
Peppermint oil: Used for headaches, pain, and stomach issues like irritable bowel syndrome.
Clove oil: Used to relieve toothaches and other types of pain.
Tea tree oil: Used to treat fungal skin infections and as a spot treatment for acne.

However, if you haven’t used essential oils in your cosmetics before, be sure to test it on a small area of your skin and observe it for at least a few hours. After you’ve made sure you’re not sensitive to any of the ingredients, apply to larger areas.

Reason 4: The Price Is Your Health… And That’s A Price Hard To Beat!

Making your own hand sanitizer is not pricy at all. Its price actually is lower than the commercial brands you can find in every store. It’s not going to save you tons of cash but it’ll bring huge benefits for your family in the long term.

The benefits of using a product, that you have made yourself and you are 100% sure what’s in it, are huge! You can keep your family and yourself safe from harmful germs and viruses with a DIY hand sanitizer that really works. And is very easy to make.

How to Make Your Own Hand Sanitizer

This is a super quick and easy way to make your own natural hand gel. The Eucalyptus and the Pine in the Essential oil contain properties that help nourish and support your skin. Plus, the aloe vera leaves your hands feeling soft and moisturized, unlike traditional purifiers that use alcohol, which can dry out your hands when used too often. This recipe will make two bottles.

You will need:

2 small bottles with flip-top lids (I buy the ones at the dollar store in the travel section but you can reuse one you have empty, too)
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup aloe vera gel
10 drops of your favorite essential oils

How To Make Your Own Hand Sanitizer?

Step 1

Squirt your container half full with the aloe.

Step 2

Then fill it almost to the top with water.

Step 3

Add the oils and mix them very well to make sure you fully incorporate the oils throughout the water/aloe mixture.

And you’re done!

Easy-peasy! Your hand sanitizer is ready to be put in your kids’ backpacks or in your handbag, in your car, or in the stroller. You’ll always have it handy and it’s perfectly safe to use.

Some Advice

If your bottle does not “squeeze – grab a funnel. I learned the hard way that using a funnel was much easier than trying to spoon the sanitizer into the small opening of the bottles. Ha! Mom brains, right??!
The aloe will help soothe your hands and the essential oils will work their magic on germs.

And there you have it! Two bottles of all-natural, hand purifying gel that you made yourself! 100% healthy, without any harsh chemicals, and all with natural ingredients. So easy!

In Conclusion

There are too many reasons to make your own hand sanitizer to just pass all of the warning signs. There is a simple way to keep your family safe from harmful germs and bacteria, you definitely need it in your life, too. You just make one by yourself.

It’s the best way to do it.

Which are the essential oils you’re going to add to your batch? Which ones are your favorite? Let us know in the comments below! We’d love to hear about it!