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March 22, 2020 by Joy Kincaid 12 Comments

DIY Hand Sanitizer Easy Recipe

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DIY hand sanitizer recipe for when you can’t find it in the store! This homemade hand sanitizer is easy to make with just two simple ingredients.

Even though washing your hands with soap and water is the best way to kill germs and stay healthy, sometimes that’s not possible.

If you find yourself without a way to wash your hands, hand sanitizer is the next best thing.

DIY hand sanitizer

DIY Hand Sanitizer

This DIY hand sanitizer recipe follows the CDC guidelines for hand sanitizer, as it contains at least 60% alcohol.

As stated on the CDC website:

If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Most homemade hand sanitizer recipes recommend using 99% Isopropyl rubbing alcohol. But I could only find 70% Isopropyl rubbing alcohol.

This easy hand sanitizer recipe uses 70% rubbing alcohol, but I’ll give you the proportions for other strengths of alcohol, just in case you happen to have those available.

In order to make sure your hand sanitizer contains at least 60% alcohol, use these guidelines.

70% Isopropyl Alcohol: 9 parts alcohol to 1 part aloe vera gel

91% Isopropyl Alcohol: 3 parts alcohol to 2 parts aloe vera gel

99% Isopropyl Alcohol: 2 parts alcohol to 1 part aloe vera gel

diy hand sanitizer ingredients

Supplies Needed for This Recipe

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my disclosure here.

You only need a few things to make this recipe.

  • 70% Isopropyl Alcohol
  • Aloe vera gel or glycerin
  • Essential oils (optional) I used lavender
  • Spray bottle (I used these)
  • Funnel (any funnel will work, I used this one for my small bottles)
  • Bowl
  • Tablespoon
  • Labels (optional)

You don’t have to add essential oils to this recipe. I used lavender essential oil in mine, just to give it a bit of scent.

If you do decide to add an essential oil, here are a few options:

  • lavender
  • tea tree
  • clove
  • eucalyptus
  • peppermint

diy hand sanitizer

How to Make Hand Sanitizer

For my DIY hand sanitizer recipe, I knew I wanted to fill two 2 oz. spray bottles, because that’s what I had available.

After a bit of math, my husband helped me figure out the amounts (being sure the final product contained 60% alcohol) to perfectly fill my 2 oz. bottles.

diy hand sanitizer

They turned out just right!

To make the hand sanitizer, all you do is add the ingredients to a bowl:

  • 9 Tablespoons of alcohol
  • 1 Tablespoon aloe vera gel
  • 5 drops essential oil (optional)

Then mix the ingredients together very well.

diy hand sanitizer

Pour into your clean spray bottles.

diy hand sanitizer

Add a label (I used these), and you’re done!

DIY hand sanitizer
Print Recipe

DIY Hand Sanitizer Spray Recipe

This DIY hand sanitizer spray is helpful when you can't wash your hands with soap and water.
Keyword: diy hand sanitizer
Servings: 2 2 oz. spray bottles
Author: Joy Kincaid

Ingredients

  • 9 Tablespoons of 70% alcohol
  • 1 Tablespoon aloe vera gel
  • 5 drops essential oil optional

Instructions

  • Mix the alcohol and the aloe vera gel together in a small bowl.
  • Add essential oils if using.
  • Use a funnel to pour into the spray bottles.
  • Add a label to each bottle.

How to Use Your Homemade Hand Sanitizer

This recipe makes a more watery hand sanitizer, so the spray bottles are necessary. I haven’t tried the recipe with the higher strength alcohol, so I can’t say what the consistency would be like with those.

With the 70% alcohol, you have to use so much alcohol (to keep the 60% alcohol proportion) that it will be more watery.

Spray enough hand sanitizer on your hands to cover the surface of your hands. Then rub your hands together until they feel dry.

DIY hand sanitizer spray

It should be noted that this DIY hand sanitizer is very drying to the hands. It is recommended that it not be used on children, because it may be too drying for them.

Personally, I’m using hand sanitizer only as a last resort, when I don’t have access to soap and water.

Be sure to do a patch test on a small area of your skin to make sure you’re not sensitive to it.

And remember that using hand sanitizer isn’t as effective as washing hands thoroughly with soap and water.

Related Post

How to Make Foaming Hand Soap

How to Make Foaming Hand Soap

 

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DIY Hand Sanitizer Recipe

Disclaimer: I am not providing medical advice. I’m just a mom, sharing a recipe I made for our personal use. I recommend that you always consult a medical professional for anything health-related.  Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here. Sharing here.

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Comments

  1. Carol-Ann Walker says

    October 31, 2021 at 5:46 pm

    I tried to make this and my aloe just clumped up??

    Reply
    • Joy Kincaid says

      November 10, 2021 at 10:32 pm

      Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that! I haven’t had that happen the times I’ve made it. I’m not sure why that would happen.

      Reply
  2. Pam says

    March 31, 2020 at 12:49 pm

    I just bought some aloe vera gel to make this, so I’m glad I saw this post! Thanks so much for sharing it with us at the Thursday Favorite Things link party.

    Reply
    • Joy Kincaid says

      April 1, 2020 at 4:07 pm

      Hi Pam! So glad it was helpful!

      Reply
  3. Kathleen - Blogger's Lifestyle says

    March 30, 2020 at 10:05 pm

    Hi Joy, your sanitizer post was chosen by our Julie to be featured on the next Blogger’s Pit Stop 🙂
    Kathleen

    Reply
    • Joy Kincaid says

      April 1, 2020 at 4:06 pm

      Thank you, Kathleen!

      Reply
  4. Melanie @ Two Plus Mini says

    March 27, 2020 at 1:26 pm

    Just saved this to Pinterest! Even when all this comes to pass, this will be so good to keep on hand for making my own scented sanitizers for on the go. Thank you for this!

    Reply
    • Joy Kincaid says

      March 27, 2020 at 8:13 pm

      Thanks so much for sharing!

      Reply
  5. jolyn Jones says

    March 24, 2020 at 9:54 am

    It soundsGreat easy. Will the alcohol in it dry my hands out?

    Reply
    • Joy Kincaid says

      March 24, 2020 at 7:00 pm

      Yes, the alcohol is very drying, unfortunately. That’s the downside of making sure the final product contains 60% alcohol. I would only recommend using it if you have to be out and you’re not able to wash your hands with soap and water.

      Reply
  6. Dee | Grammy's Grid says

    March 24, 2020 at 3:08 am

    We have plenty of sanitizer here at our home as we always buy the one liter size refill bottles. We keep smaller bottles of it in our vehicles and always one in my purse. However, since covid-19 several family members are wanting me to make them some sanitizer but I cannot find aloe vera gel nor alcohol above 50%. Sending your recipe over to them if and when they can find the ingredients.

    Reply
    • Joy Kincaid says

      March 24, 2020 at 6:58 pm

      So glad it was helpful! I was thankful we already had the aloe gel, and our small town pharmacy had the alcohol. I hope they’re able to find the supplies! It’s frustrating how many things are unavailable now.

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Joy. I'm so glad you're here! I believe creating a beautiful and nurturing home is an art worth cultivating. Read more here...

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