As more people stock up on items they need to help them prevent from getting sick with the C*********s, it’s becoming harder to get your hands on a bottle of hand sanitizer. Others may have enough sanitizer stocked up in their local stores; however, they may make the personal decision to not go out and about in an effort to protect themselves from the virus.
If you’re in either of these cases, it’s suggested that you make your own hand sanitizer at home. It only involves a few simple ingredients, and there’s a chance you may already have them at home!
For reference on how to make the sanitizer, refer to the Rachel Ray Show segment below where Host Rachel and Dr. Ian Smith make the homemade sanitizer right before our eyes.
The ingredients they used included 99% isopropyl rubbing alcohol, aloe vera gel, and essential oil (or lemon juice as an alternative).
Rachel and Dr. Smith simply added two-thirds of a cup of rubbing alcohol to a medium-sized measuring glass along with one-third of aloe vera gel. Dr. Smith mixed the two ingredients together before asking Rachel to select one of the essential oils he had laid out on the counter. She elected to add a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil.
After mixing in the essential oil, they used a funnel to pour their homemade hand sanitizer into a spray bottle. Dr. Smith prefers the spray bottle method. However, you can place it in a traditional squirt bottle if you prefer. (The spray bottle is nice, though, because then you can use it to sanitize your furniture as well!)
But how does this homemade hand sanitizer work?
According to Dr. Smith, isopropyl rubbing alcohol is the ingredient apart of the sanitizer that works to eliminate microbes such as bacteria and viruses. As for the aloe vera gel, this helps to ensure the alcohol doesn’t dry out your skin too much. Plus, it helps make the mixture thicker. And the essential oil offers added scent and antimicrobial benefits, depending on the type of essential oil you opt for.
You might be wondering, why opt to make your own hand sanitizer rather than purchase a bottle at a store that has it in stock? Well, this is a great option to consider if you’re looking to save money or are wanting a larger quantity of sanitizer. (With a larger quantity on hand, you can avoid more frequent trips to the store.) And, although hand sanitizer is already becoming scarce in many stores and even on online marketplaces, it’s always nice to have an alternative option to turn to. Being self-sufficient is necessary during difficult times like these, and we must all have plan B’s.
See Rachel and Dr. Ian Smith make the sanitizer below. They make it look easy because it really is that easy!
