Hey everyone! How’s your quarantined existence going?? I don’t know about you…but I haven’t laid eyes on a bottle of hand sanitizer in months. I’ve never really been a hand sanitizer person, either, since I vastly prefer washing my hands with soap and water. I had a couple travel-sized Purells for my purse and desk but that’s it–and clearly those are long gone now.

Again, soap and water is much more preferable to any kind of hand sanitizer but we’re in desperate times, and if you ever venture out of the house for work, groceries, childcare, etc, liberal sanitizing with a gel may be your only option. With the current shortage worldwide, a homemade alcohol-based version can be totally safe and effective, as long as it is at is at least 60% alcohol.

This “recipe” is super easy and uses a few things you already have at home. It’s also a great way to use up old bottles of aloe vera gel or even that quarter bottle of old body lotion you haven’t touched in years!

You have two options: a more liquidy version (equal parts alcohol and aloe/lotion) that does best in a spray bottle, and a more gel-like version (greater aloe:alcohol ratio) that is best in a squeeze bottle. Both are more than 60% alcohol and perfectly effective. I have made both and made use of some travel-size toiletry containers that–continuing with my theme of using up my old stuff–were left forgotten in my bathroom junk drawer.

For “liquid” version:

• 1 part isopropyl alcohol
• 1 part aloe vera gel or body lotion
• Your favorite essential oil (optional)

For “gel” version:

• 1 part isopropyl alcohol
• 2 parts aloe vera gel or body lotion
• Your favorite essential oil (optional)

Instructions:

• Combine alcohol/peroxide and aloe in your container of choice
• Add desired amount of essential oil–I found that 20-25 drops works really well for a 4 oz container
• Use as needed to disinfect hands: apply sanitizer to the palm of your hands and massage vigorously to the rest of your hands, fingers, and wrists until dry

Enjoy! ❤