Wellness

[Naturesbeauty]

YIELD: 1 CUP HOW TO MAKE HAND SANITIZER Hand sanitizer with 70% isopropyl alchohol designed to sanitize hands. Best used to supplement proper hand washing. PREP TIME 5 minutes TOTAL TIME 5 minutes INGREDIENTS 2/3 cup isopropyl alcohol (70% or higher) 1/3 cup aloe vera gel INSTRUCTIONS Add both ingredients into a small jar with tight fitting lid. Shake vigorously until aloe vera gel is smooth. Pour mixture into small bottles. NOTES Use small bottles that are airport approved for carryon.

[SilleeMee]

I heard a doctor on the news say we should not be using homemade disinfectants. There is no way of confirming that they work and it's risky to use them. Hand washing is the best thting to do.

[Retiredpsych]

I did this and it is great!  Just like Purell, maybe better!  Don't know why a doctor would say that.  As long as you use the correct ingredients, it is totally safe.  Use only rubbing alcohal at 70% strength (exactly what Purell is made of...don't use stronger, it could irritate the skin), and I used organic pure aloe vera gel.  3 parts rubbing alcohol and 1 part aloe vera get.  I used a small wisk to incorporate...but shaking in a lidded jar would work too.

[SilleeMee]

There are people who don't know what they're doing when they make stuff. YOU may make it correctly but that doesn't mean everyone will. I'm a biochemist and a retired health lab specialist. I know about disinfectants so I would have no problem getting it right. That still doesn't mean I can't make mistakes and that is something I'm not going to risk...especially now.

[x Hedge]

  My Purell hand sanitizers contain ingredients that act as preservatives.

Is your recipe sensitive to exposure to air? Light? Time? Temperature?

[Kachina624]

Commercial hand sanitizers contain emollients that soften hands and prevent excess drying.  These can't be duplicated in a home made product.

[SilleeMee]

Using harsh chemicals on skin can disrupt the natural skin barrier. That means the skin becomes vulnerable to outside invaders such as germs and other chemicals...weakening the skin's defenses even further. Cracks and splits in the nail cuticle are other things which can happen when harsh chemicals are used. 

I'm just not a fan of using hand sanitizers. I think they do more damage than good.

[Jasmine19]

I don't think anyone is suggesting that home made hand sanitizers are better than professionally manufactured products; however, for some of us, it's the only alternative. Because of hoarders, the shelves in my neighborhood, and online sources have been stripped bare for weeks.

[Bhvbum]

There have been a number of programs that describe hand washing.  One Dr. said soap and water are absolutely the perfect combination to clean virus off our skin.  No need for sanitizers, soap and water are perfect and went on to describe how it happenes.  Surgeons scrub with soapl and water.

[bjabuceye]

The alcohol is the active ingredient. You can just put it in a little spray bottle. Just spray liberally and rub hands together. It is just as good as commercial hand sanitizer, but washing hands is better if possible. You do what you can and that's all you can do. You can also use baby wipes and spray them with the alcohol when you use them. We will all get thru this.