Has anyone else tried going to the grocery store recently? It looks like f*ing armageddon. People are losing their marbles stock piling and hoarding toilet paper, cleaning supplies, face masks and you guessed it… hand sanitizer.

So what do you do if you can’t find hand sanitizer at the store or online? I’ve got you covered with a DIY hand sanitizer you can make at home.

DIY HAND SANITIZER

I have to say, I’m a little startled by the number of people who are just now starting to use hand sanitizer and wash their hands regularly. Maybe it’s the frequent traveler in me, but I’ve never walked out of an airplane bathroom without washing my hands and then using a second dousing of hand sanitizer.

I’m not trying to buy out my local Target’s assortment of hand sanitizers. I personally just like to always have some on hand. And, in light of the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak, I think it’s important to be prepared. To sum it up, be prepared. But I don’t mean you need to buy 80 rolls of toilet paper or fight an old woman for the last pack of water bottles at Costco.

Wash your hands regularly and have some hand sanitizer handy for times when you can’t quickly get to some soap and running water.

Since the majority of the population has bought out all of the commercial hand sanitizer supplies, the next best option is to figure out a DIY route. But when in doubt, again…soap and water wins.

IS DIY HAND SANITIZER SAFE?

There are times when it makes sense to create your own hand sanitizer.

When you can’t wash your hands, hand sanitizers, whether commercial or homemade, make sense if used in moderation. Because at the end of the day, old school hand washing for at least 20 seconds is the most effective option.

The best antimicrobial to use in a homemade hand sanitizer is alcohol. Skip the bleach, it can be too hard on the skin. Even with alcohol, there’s some risk of skin damage if you use it too often. And damaged skin can be a place for microbes to grow.

Basically, you want to keep your hands free of the germs, but you don’t want to be rubbing alcohol on them multiple times a day.

WHAT GOES INTO DIY HAND SANITIZER?

To protect your hands, you can add a substance like pure aloe vera. Homemade sanitizers usually include 2/3 alcohol and 1/3 aloe vera gel to protect the skin and keep hands from drying out. Then, you can add an essential oil if you want to give it a better scent.

You can make your own sanitizing gel with supplies you can find at the drugstore or probably already have at home.

There are two main formulas for homemade hand sanitizer and both are alcohol based. One, recommended by the World Health Organization, is closer to liquid than gel and is harder on your hands, while the other will be gentler on your skin and closely resembles the feel of store bought hand sanitizer. Basically, it just depends on your personal preference. So let’s get to killing germs!

WHAT YOU NEED

• measuring cup
• measuring spoons
• whisk
• empty spray bottles (for WHO formulation)
• empty lotion or sanitizer containers (for gel formulation)

WHO SANITIZER Ingredients

• 1 cup of 99% isopropyl alcohol
• 1 tablespoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide
• 1 teaspoon of 98% glycerin
• ¼ cup, 1 tablespoon, and 1 teaspoon (or 85 milliliters) of sterile distilled or boiled cold water

The WHO has a guide for making your own hand sanitizer, but it will make enough for a small village. Like… 2.6 gallons worth. But if you want to keep things on a more reasonable scale, above are the adapted measurements.

WHO SANITIZER DIRECTIONS

1. Pour the alcohol into a medium-sized container (it helps if it has a pouring spout). The percentages on the labels of isopropyl alcohol refer to the alcohol concentration in them. You’re dealing with almost pure alcohol if you’ve got 99.8%, whereas 70% means the bottle is only a little more than two-thirds alcohol, and the rest is water.

2. Add the hydrogen peroxide. 

3. Next, add the glycerin and mix. This ingredient is very thick, so you will have to stir well to combine everything. You can use a clean spoon for this or, if your container has a lid, throw it on and shake it up.

4. Measure and add the water. If you’re using 99% isopropyl alcohol, you’ll need to measure ¼ of a cup, 1 tablespoon, and 1 teaspoon of distilled or boiled cold water. If you’re using another percentage of isopropyl alcohol, just pour as much water as necessary to get to a final volume of 345 milliliters (about 1.4 cups). Stir it all up.

5. Next, spray some of your leftover alcohol into your bottles and let them sit until the alcohol has evaporated (this sanitizes the bottles). Pour in the sanitizer mixture.

6. Lastly, label your bottles. This is important so no one confuses it with another product.

GEL SANITIZER INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup of 99% isopropyl alcohol
• 1/3 cup of aloe vera gel 
• 15 drops of tea tree oil (or another antibacterial essential oil)

GEL SANITIZER DIRECTIONS

1. Pour the alcohol into a medium container (I recommend a container with a pouring spout). Some recipes online use vodka instead of isopropyl alcohol, but most vodkas don’t contain a high enough percentage of alcohol to be effective.

2. Measure and pour in the aloe vera gel. Using aloe is a great way to counteract the harsh effect of alcohol on your skin.

3. Add some drops of essential oil. Tea tree oil is naturally antibacterial and will help get rid of the alcohol smell. If you don’t like the scent of tea tree oil. For example, you could also use lavender or eucalyptus.

4. Whisk it all together. 

5. Next, spray some of your leftover alcohol into your bottles and let them sit until the alcohol has evaporated (this sanitizes the bottles). Pour in the sanitizer mixture.

6. Lastly, label your bottles. This is important so no one confuses it with another product.