Is anyone else worried that we're going to experience another shortage of toilet paper and hand sanitizer this cold and flu season? Of course, we could just slowly start to stock up on essentials now. But I was recently challenged to make homemade hand sanitizer.
How did it go?
Well, first, I had to research how to make DIY hand sanitizer, and that resulted in me creating a DIY Hand Sanitizer Pinterest board with different recipes and tips. So definitely check that out before you begin.
What you're going to need are isopropyl alcohol and aloe vera gel. Two easy ingredients. I actually already had 70 percent isopropyl alcohol in my bathroom cabinet.
However, my research left me confused as to what the best recipe should be. The CDC says that an effective hand sanitizer should have at least 60 percent alcohol in it. So my 70 percent is good to go, right?
Well, not exactly. When you mix isopropyl alcohol (which comes in alcohol content ranges from 60 to 99 percent) with aloe vera gel, the alcohol content gets diluted. So if you start with 60 percent, it won't actually be 60 percent after you've mixed it with aloe vera gel.
So what to do?
(This is probably why some people have said that making DIY hand sanitizer gel is probably not a good idea, and that commercial-grade hand sanitizer is the better route when you can't wash your hands with soap and water.)
Luckily I found two easy hand sanitizer recipes at Lexi's Clean Kitchen: one for 99 percent isopropyl alcohol and one for 70 percent.
I followed Lexi's directions for the 70 percent isopropyl alcohol, mixing 7 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of the alcohol with 2 teaspoons of the aloe vera gel. If you have a funnel, please use it because that will make it so much easier to pour this mixture into a clean and empty bottle. I purchased a brand new 2-ounce travel shampoo bottle from Target to hold my hand sanitizer.
This in no way resembled a typical hand sanitizer gel. I actually wish I had poured the mixture into a spray bottle. It was so liquidy that there is no way I could easily pour it out of the bottle. That's just something for you to keep in mind if you're making this recipe at home.
But, overall, was the process easy? Sure! It only requires two ingredients! (Three if you choose to add essential oils, such as tea tree or lavender for a better scent.)
For an easy hand sanitizer recipe that uses 91 percent isopropyl alcohol, as well as other tips for how to make your own hand sanitizer, head over to the Zulily blog!
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