Guide to Making Homemade Hand Sanitizer.
In wake of the recent panic surrounding both the Novel Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, and an unusually severe influenza season, products such as hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes are increasingly scarce, with high demand and decreasing supply having subsequent effects on pricing.
Regardless, many of the key ingredients and supplements found in most consumer hand sanitizes are found for low prices, prompting numerous articles outlining various recommendations regarding home made sanitizer, also known as local production.
The two hand sanitizer types are those for spray bottles, and those for flexible tubes ( pictured above ); these two hand sanitizes require different supplementary ingredients for ease of use. Regardless, the basic ingredients remain identical; these basic ingredients are outlined most authoritatively by the World Health Organization ( WHO ).
These basic ingredients are hydrogen peroxide, glycerin ( also spelled as glycerine and glycerol ), distilled water and isopropyl alcohol; in the event that alcohol is not available, ethanol of at least 96% purity will also suffice.
These are the fundamental disinfectant and carrier ingredients and are all that is necessary for the local, or home production. Several more ingredients are also often incorporated, including both a moisturizer to counter the drying effects of the alcohol or ethanol, and a thickener which is added for sanitizers intended for tubes. Moisturizing additives can vary in recommendation and are only constrained by availability and viscosity; Aloe Vera, typically non-toxic and environmentally sound, coupled with the varied viscosities found in the consumer marketplace are the reasons for its relative popularity.
An example of nearly liquid bottled Aloe Vera.
In spray cleaners, the aloe additive should be of a low viscosity, almost watery in form, while a thicker viscosity will be necessary for convenience for use in flexible tubes; both variants can be purchased relatively easily however.
Regardless of the form of hand sanitizer, essential oils, typically of the antibacterial form are also recommended and incorporate well into these mixtures. The oils that are associated with antiviral and antimicrobial characteristics are preferable for the most complete disinfection; tea tree, eucalyptus, lavender, cinnamon, and thyme essential oils are all the most versatile, leaving the consumer many options if they also desire an essential oil for their home made sanitizer. In the event an essential oil is used, a carrier oil is also required. Coconut oil, as well as jojoba oil are both commonly recommended; however if the hand sanitizer is to be used in warm or cold environments, coconut oil will possibly congeal and or become uncontrollably watery, and as a result should be avoided in those instances; almond oils however, have a lower freezing point and can be used alternatively.
Various sanitizer ingredients, measured before being diluted with water in a separate container, for convenience.
The ratios recommended of the respective ingredients will vary depending upon the exact recipe used, however the basic sanitizing ingredients must adhere to certain concentrations to be effective; in particular alcohol content is recommended by the World Health Organization to be 75%, though many consumers market hand sanitizers have only 70%, including Purrel. If alcohol is supplemented by ethanol, then the 80%
content is advised as the final ratio. An estimated 1.5% glycerol content is also advised, though the ratio to other ingredients can vary if noncore additions are made.
Because of the many supplementary ingredients and general simplicity of locally produce hand sanitizer, it is possible to forgo consumer market hand sanitizer all together, an especially important fact in wake of the panicked purchasing of bottled sanitizers during the COVID-19 pandemic.