DIY Homemade Hand Sanitizer Recipes

If you’re looking to make some DIY homemade hand sanitizer with ingredients that you probably already have at home, read on germ killer!

But first thing’s first.

Here’s the dealio: The CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) advises that any sanitizer must be made with an alcohol of at least 60% in order for it to be effective.

If the alcohol is less than than 60%, it’s likely to just reduce the growth of germs, but not totally kill them.

The old school method of washing your hands with soap and warm water is still the best method to killing germs on your hands, as stated by the CDC.

That being said, there are situations where washing your hands just isn’t an option.

You’re next best option, according to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), is to use an alcohol based hand sanitizer.

This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. This means if you make a purchase after clicking a link, I may earn a small commission but it won’t cost you a penny more! Isn’t that rad? Thanks for supporting the work I do at daretobeawildflower.com. Click here to read my full disclosure policy. 

DIY Homemade Hand Sanitizer Gel

Ingredients:

• Sanitized jar or bottle
• 1 ½ cup of isopropyl alcohol, at least 70% or higher
• ½ cup of aloe vera gel 
• 10-15 drops of tea tree oil or lavender oil

Instructions:

1. Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Rub onto hands.
3. Let it dry for at least 20 seconds! Do not wipe the gel off with a towel. Let it do its thing.

DIY Homemade Hand Sanitizer Spray

Ingredients:

• Sanitized Spray Bottle
• 1 ²/3 cup Isopropyl Alcohol
• 2 TSP Glycerin or Glycerol (prevents your hands from drying out)
• 1 TBSP Hydrogen Peroxide
• Distilled or Boiled Water
• 4 drops of cinnamon essential oil
• 4 drops of eucalyptus essential oil
• 4 drops of rosemary essential oil

Instructions:

1. Mix together the glycerin/ glycerol and the alcohol.
2. Then, the hydrogen peroxide, followed by the water. Just be sure that the water is cooled down if you just boiled it.
3. Next, add 15 drops of your favorite anti-viral, anti-bacterial essential oils (read below for a list).
4. Finally, pour it small spray bottles and be sure to put one in your backpack, bag, backpacking poop kit, or wherever you think you may need to fight off germs!

Important Precautions When Making Your DIY Homemade Hand Sanitizer

• Be sure all the equipment you’re using is clean and sterile, otherwise the whole batch can get contaminated.
• The World Health Organization recommends that you let your mixture sit for at least 72 hours once you’re finished making it to. This is to make sure any bacteria that was introduced to the hand sanitizer during the mixing process has been killed.
• When choosing an alcohol, the higher the percentage, the better.
• No, don’t grab the vodka from the liquor cabinet. It’s not strong enough

Related: DIY Non-Toxic Citrus Multi-Purpose Cleaner Recipe

Essential Oils For DIY Hand Sanitizer

Anti-Viral Essential Oils

• Basil Oil
• Cinnamon Oil
• Clove Oil
• Eucalyptus Oil
• Ginger Oil
• Lemon Balm Oil aka Melissa
• Oregano Oil
• Peppermint Oil
• Rosemary Oil
• Star Anise Oil
• Tea Tree Oil
• Thyme Oil
• Germ Fighter Blend

If you’re thinking about purchasing an essential oil set, I’ve been using this set here by Natrogix Nirvana and I’ve been super happy with it. Check it out. 💛

Related: How to Make Your Own DIY Yoga Mat Cleaner

Things To Consider When Using Essential Oils

• Only use essential oils internally if you are working with a qualified doctor, herbalist, or aromatherapist.
• Essential oils need to be diluted when being applied to the skin.
• Before using an essential oil for cooking for ingestion, read the bottle to see if it’s appropriate for that use. If it’s not specified, don’t ingest it.

I hope you found this helpful. Let me know if you have any suggestions in the comments below. 💛

Pin for later: DIY Homemade Hand Sanitizer

Dare To Be A Wildflower is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.