LEARN TO MIX UP A BATCH OF HOMEMADE HAND SANITIZER. USING ALOE VERA FOR IT’S NOURISHING ABILITIES, THIS RECIPE IS VERY EASY TO MAKE.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

HAND SANITIZER BASICS

Let us begin today’s homemade project by reminding everyone that hand sanitizer should only be used when it is not possible to wash your hands with soap and water. There is no replacement to good old fashioned hand washing. Clean water and soap proves to be the most effective way to cleanse hands. In a pinch, hand sanitizers come to the rescue with their portable germ fighting capabilities.

According to the CDC, it is recommended that hand sanitizer contains at least 60% alcohol in order to be effective against killing germs. The recipe that I am sharing today, when made properly, should meet this criteria.

PROPER HAND WASHING TECHNIQUES

We know that properly washing hands with soap and water is the most effective way to protect ourselves from getting sick. But, when we get to the sink are we really washing our hands properly?

According to the CDC, we should be washing our hands for at least 20 seconds. I explained to my kids that they should be able to sing Happy Birthday twice. My oldest son took it to the extreme by singing the words: “Happy Birthday to Daddy, Happy Birthday to Daddy” and then shutting the water off and running away. It should be noted that he sings this as fast as humanly possible …. not exactly 20 seconds.

So, make sure to wet and lather up your hands well. Then start rubbing your hands together, ensuring to wash every part of your hands including your finger tips and under your fingernails. This is when you should be singing happy birthday…the real version.

After lathering, begin rinsing your hands off under the water.

Understanding that I am a little bit of a germ-o-phobe when it comes to using public restrooms, I then leave the running water on just for a second and dry my hands with a paper towel. Next, I use the paper towel to shut the water off and open the bathroom door upon exit. Just because you spent the time to properly wash your hands does not mean the person who used the facility before you did!

SKIN HEALTH

It’s no secret that plenty of hand washing and hand sanitizer use does a number on our skin. Both washing our hands and using hand sanitizer when needed are good for protecting us from getting sick, but if you have hands with open cuts and cracks it provides instant access for germs to get into our bodies.

My biggest tip for staying clean and keeping your skin healthy is to not use water that’s too hot to wash your hands. In this article, the CDC even states, “Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold)…”

As soon as I became a mother, I found myself washing my hands even more frequently than ever … and using the hottest water I could tolerate. Due to the frequency of my hand washing, this led to red, chapped, cracked hands with open cuts. I visited a dermatologist and my doctor to find that I had damaged my skin’s moisture barrier by over-washing with water that was way too hot.

Fast forward to having my second child who had the worst diaper rash and had to be a diaper-less infant … I was back in my dermatologist’s office again! To repair my heavily damaged skin, I was prescribed a steroid cream to help my poor hands.

I share this only because I hope that it helps you, because I don’t want anyone else’s skin to suffer like mine did! Wash your hands with soap and water, and please don’t burn yourself.

NOURISHING, ALL-NATURAL REMEDIES TO KEEP SKIN HEALTHY

homemade body butter with all natural ingredients

If you do find yourself in a chapped (or dry) hand situation, never fear! Simply Rooted Farmhouse has you covered with some easy, all-natural skincare recipes that can help undo the damage of excessive hand washing and use of hand sanitizer.

HOW TO CORRECTLY USE HAND SANITIZER

If your hands are visibly dirty, it’s time to hit the sink, not the sanitizer. Hand sanitizer should be used (again, only when it is not possible to access soap and water) on hands that do not have visible amounts of debris on them.

Apply hand sanitizer to your palm, then work evenly into both hands until completely dry, at least 20-30 seconds.

Children should not use hand sanitizer without adult supervision. My kids help me with the creation and photography of nearly every post on my blog, with the exception of this one. Please use caution when making or using hand sanitizer with kids (especially young ones).

TOOLS NEEDED TO MAKE HAND SANITIZER

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

Squeezable Containers: I was so surprised with how much I loved these containers. They have a little “mouth” that seals shut, and work wonders for this recipe.
Spray bottles: If you prefer to spray hand sanitizer, these bottles are super handy. Also, if you have added essential oils to your hand sanitizer, it is preferable to keep the mixture in a glass container.
Aloe vera: Can be harvested from a plant, purchased from the grocery store as a clipping, or purchase it in a bottle (but make sure it’s pure aloe vera)!
99% Isopropyl Alcohol
Blender: A blender is recommended if you are using freshly harvested aloe from a plant. If you have purchased aloe vera that is already liquid, this is not necessary.
Scent: to scent hand sanitizer, about 10 drops of essential oils or lemon juice can be used.
Label: We’ve created this cute printable for you to use on your batch of sanitizer!

HOW TO HARVEST ALOE FROM A PLANT CLIPPING

harvesting aloe to make homemade hand sanitizer

For the hand sanitizer shown here, I used aloe vera from my plant! Some of the leaves needed to be trimmed, so I put them to good use in this recipe. Here’s how to harvest aloe from an aloe plant:

Cut off the desired leaf or leaves.
Running a knife down the edges of the leaf, cut off the spikes sides.
Next, carefully slice off the aloe skin on the top and bottom of the leaf.
You will be left with a clear, slimy chuck of aloe vera!
Put the aloe vera in a blender until it becomes liquid.