DIY Hand Sanitizer Gel, Spray and Wipes At Home (5 Easy Recipes)

If you can’t find hand sanitizers at the store or if you prefer to DIY your own hand sanitizers, there are ways to make them at home with household items that you probably have.

In this post, I present to you a few methods to make hand sanitizers with aloe vera, alcohol, essential oils, and other common household items.

Note that with all the recipes shown below, you can add vitamin E as an optional item. Vitamin E helps to nourish and protect your skin from the body’s free radicals. You can also make each one without aloe vera gel if you prefer to use a liquid spray instead.

How to Make Hand Sanitizer With Rubbing Alcohol (Isopropyl or Ethyl)

You can try to use rubbing alcohol to make hand sanitizers. Keep in mind that rubbing alcohol is toxic and cannot be consumed.

Before getting started, here is what you need to know:

• Use 91% Isopropyl Alcohol or 96% Ethyl Alcohol (a.k.a Ethanol)
• CDC recommends your sanitizer mix must be at least 60% alcohol in order for it to be effective.

Here’s How to Make Hand Sanitizer with Rubbing Alcohol:

1. Using a small bottle (travel size), fill it 3/4 of the way with rubbing alcohol (91% or above)
2. Add a few drops of essential oils of your choice (lavender oil or tea tree oil works great)
3. Fill the rest of the bottle with distilled water
4. Shake to mix everything together.

You can use aloe vera gel instead of distilled water if you prefer to use gel instead of spray.

Here’s How to Make Hand Sanitizer Wipes with Rubbing Alcohol:

1. Using a small spray bottle, fill it 3/4 of the way with rubbing alcohol (91% or above)
2. Add a few drops of essential oils
3. Fill the rest of the bottle with distilled water
4. Shake to mix everything together.
5. Spray the solution onto a paper towel. Let the solution soak in. You don’t want to overspray, spray just enough to make the towel damp.

Here’s How to make Hand Sanitizer with 70% Isopropyl Alcohol:

If you can’t find 91% or above Isopropyl Alcohol, you can try to use a 70% one instead. CDC recommends that that hand sanitizers be at least 60% in alcohol content. This method is good for those who want to make hand sanitizer spray.

1. Using a small travel size spray bottle, fill the entire bottle with 70% Isopropyl Alcohol.
2. Add a few drops of essential oils of your choice.
3. Shake and mix everything together.

If you plan to use this recipe, I don’t recommend diluting the alcohol with distilled water because you are starting with less alcohol content.

How to Make Hand Sanitizer with Essential Oils

If you have sensitive skin or if you prefer to go all-natural. There is a way to make hand sanitizers using only essential oils and natural ingredients.

Here’s How to make Hand Sanitizers with Essential Oils:

1. Using a small bottle (travel size) add 3 teaspoons of witch hazel.
2. Add 6 drops each of lemon, orange or tea tree oil.
3. Fill the bottle with distilled water
4. Shake to mix everything together

You can use aloe vera gel instead of distilled water if you prefer to use gel instead. Aloe is also great for reducing inflammation and soothing your skin.

How to Make Hand Sanitizer with Fresh Aloe Vera Plant or Leaf

If you prefer to make your own aloe vera gel for your hand sanitizers, you can make them easily at home with a few simple tools.

Here’s How to make Hand Sanitizers with Fresh Aloe Vera Plant or Leaf:

1. Cut off a fresh aloe leaf from a plant or you can get a fresh one from the store.
2. Wash it and let the leaf stand up-right in a bowl for 15 mins. This helps to drain out the yellow resin. The resin contains latex which could irritate skin. That’s why this step is important.
3. After 15 mins, check to make sure that all resin has drained, then peel off the thick skin of the aloe leaf with a peeler.
4. Scoop the aloe gel under the skin into a blender
5.  Blend for a few seconds into the gel is liquidy.

Your aloe gel is now ready. Aloe gel made this way can be stored in the fridge for 1 week. You can use it to make hand sanitizers using the other methods provided in this post.

How To Make Hand Sanitizer With Glycerin

Glycerin is a three-carbon tri-alcohol humectant that is mainly used in skincare products as a type of moisturizing agent. According to WHO’s guide, Glycerin (a.k.a Glycerol) is miscible in water and alcohol and do not add to toxicity, or promote allergy

Here’s How to make Hand Sanitizers with Glycerin:

1. Using a small bottle (travel size) fill 1/4 of it with glycerin.
2. Fill the rest of the bottle with rubbing alcohol (91% or above)
3. Add a few drops of essential oils of your choice. (I like to use lavender oil and tea tree oil)
4. If you prefer to use gel, use aloe vera gel instead of glycerin.
5. Shake to mix everything together

How to Make Hand Sanitizer with Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is made up of a combination of hydrogen and water. It is a clear liquid that acts as a mild antiseptic and is commonly used on the skin to prevent infections from minor cuts.

Here’s How to make Hand Sanitizers with Hydrogen Peroxide:

1. Using a spray bottle, mix 1 ⅔ cups of 91% Isopropyl alcohol with 2 teaspoons of glycerol*.
2. Mix in 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide
3. Add ¼ cup of distilled water.
4. Add a few drops of essential oils to make it smell good.
5. Shake the bottle and make sure everything is mixed evenly

Keep in mind that at least 60% of your final mixture has to be alcohol. If you are working with less concentrated alcohol, use less water.

* If you can’t find glycerol, proceed with the rest of the recipe without it. Just remember to moisturize your hands afterward.

To make hand sanitizer wipes with hydrogen peroxide, simply follow the instructions above and then spray the solution on a paper towel. Let the solution soak into the paper towel before using it. Don’t overspray, you want the paper towel to be damp but not soaked in the mixture.

How to Make Hand Sanitizer with Dettol

Dettol Disinfectant Liquid is a popular first aid antiseptic for cleaning wounds. It is a solution that contains chloroxylenol, an antiseptic and disinfectant which is used for skin disinfection and cleaning surgical instruments.

According to the Dettol official website, Dettol products like the Dettol Disinfectant Liquid are effective (>99.9% inactivation) against coronavirus strains from the same family as COVID-19.

If you plan on using this recipe, know that Dettol cannot be used undiluted. Dettol also cannot be swallowed, do not put your fingers in your mouth, near your eyes, or eat with your hands until you find a proper location to wash your hands. This recipe is not recommended for children.

As always, follow the directions on the product label and consult with your family doctor before using.

Here’s How to Make Hand Sanitizers with Dettol:

1) Using a small spray bottle, add 1 tablespoon of Dettol Disinfectant Liquid
2) Add 1 cup of distilled water (half pint or 16 tablespoons)
3) Shake and mix everything together.

Hand Sanitizer Recipes – FAQs

Can You Make Hand Sanitizer Without Aloe Vera Gel?

Yes, you can make hand sanitizer without aloe vera gel.  Although aloe vera gel provides great skincare benefits, you don’t need to use it with any of the recipes presented above. If you don’t use aloe vera gel, you can either try to use alternative gels that I have presented or go with distilled water and make a spray version instead.

How to Make Hand Sanitizer Gel Without Alcohol?

The CDC recommends that hand sanitizers be at least 60% alcohol content for it to be effective. You can still make hand sanitizers without alcohol using the essential oils method I presented above. Keep in mind that the essential oils method is considered more of mild soap and is not a substitute for alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

BTW, if you can’t find hand soap or want to make your own, check out my post on Easy DIY Foaming Hand Soap Recipes. All recipes use ingredients that you probably already have at home. Check it out when you have time.

Can You Use Vodka to Make Hand Sanitizer?

Yes, you can use vodka to make hand sanitizer but not on its own. Vodka has an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 40% which is less than the recommended level of 60% recommended by the CDC. You need to mix Vodka with Isopropyl Alcohol (91% recommend) until the final concentration of alcohol content in the mix is at least 60% or above. Keep in mind that you can’t drink Vodka after you’ve mixed it with Isopropyl Alcohol.