How to Make Hand Sanitizer

By Editorial Staff in Health and Fitness On 13th October 2015
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#1 Gather your ingredients

This sanitizer closely emulates the commercial kind, without all the chemicals and without the bad smell. Hand sanitizer should not replace hand washing; just use it when you really need it. Here's what you'll need:

2/3 cup 99% rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) or vodka

1/3 cup pure aloe vera gel (preferably without additives)

8 to 10 drops essential oil, such as lavender, clove, cinnamon, or peppermint

Mixing bowl

Spoon

Funnel

Plastic container

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#2 Mix the alcohol and aloe vera gel in the bowl

Pour the ingredients into the bowl and use the spoon to mix them together well. The mixture should be completely smooth.

If you want the solution to be thicker, add another spoonful of aloe vera.

Or thin it out by adding another spoonful of alcohol.

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#3 Add the essential oil

Add it one drop at a time, stirring as you go. After about 8 drops, smell the mixture to see whether you like the scent. If it seems strong enough, stop there. If you like a stronger scent, add a few more drops.

Lavender, clove, cinnamon and peppermint essential oils have the added benefit of providing additional antiseptic properties to the mixture.

If you don't like these scents, it's fine to use whatever scent you enjoy. Lemon, grapefruit and passion fruit all work well.

#4 Funnel the mixture into the container

Place the funnel over the mouth of the container and pour the hand sanitizer in. Fill it up, then screw on the lid until you're ready to use it.

A small squirt bottle works well if you want to carry the sanitizer with you throughout the day.

If you make too much for the bottle, save the leftover sanitizer in a jar with a tightly-fitted lid.