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Homemade Hand Sanitizer

How do YOU fight off the FLU season? If you are like me you keep a steady supply of hand sanitizer in your car, purse, office and in the children's back packs. This helps BUT it also becomes expensive, drys out your hands and think of how much plastic you are throwing away! I know that I have run out before and felt like I was totally unprotected, Especially after leaving the gas station or grocery store! Have you ever thought about how MANY germs on on those gas pump handles or shopping carts? GROSS! I started making my own hand sanitizer about a year ago and WOW I was shocked when I realized how easy and inexpensive it is to make! 


We all know there is a LOT to be said about keeping your hands clean. Many times through out the day you find yourself where there is no sink to wash your hands though and it is even worse for children in school (aka germ factories). As with all things homemade you have a two fold advantage, one you know where the ingredients came from and second the cost is way less than your store bought version. I have to thank +Jill Nystul for this simple recipe below. It makes 8 ounces of sanitizer but you can double or triple it to have a large supply to last you & make those "refills" into your "carry along" containers easy by using a re purposed Dish detergent or shampoo bottle. 

 You can be creative with the Essential oils that you use to give it scent. I like to mix it up in my batches with some of the "Antibacterial" Essential oils. Colds, Flu & Bacteria can become immune to Alcohol based hand sanitizers - leaving you wide open for getting sick. Bacteria has not been found to become immune to the essential oils, even after long periods of time and repeated use at high concentrations. In fact many of the larger hospitals are now installing and using air filtration systems with essential oils to combat the many "Super Bugs" that are drug resistant.... and to think people used to call this stuff "snake oil"  who is laughing at us now?



  • 1/3 cup of Aloe Vera Gel
  • 2/3 cup of Rubbing Alcohol
  • 8-10 drops of essential oil** (Lemon, Lavender or Clove - Whatever you have/like .)
  • 8 oz Recycled hand sanitizer or liquid soap bottle
  • Funnel
Measure out ingredients into and pour into your bottle via your funnel.

 I start with the Aloe then use the Alcohol to wash it through the funnel.



Screw the pump / top back on. SHAKE WELL.

That is it ~ Extremely easy and now you are ready to face the virus "Giants" this cold and flu season.
**To give your Sanitizer a little more Umph add in some of the Essential oils that are known for their Anti-Bacterial properties such as:Tea Tree, Thyme Cinnamon, Clove, Lemon and Eucalyptus. * If children are going to be using this you may want to refrain from the Cinnamon or ONLY use 1-2 drops mixed with other oils ~ it is VERY concentrated, it smells wonderful and will not hurt them, but it is a "warming" oil and they may become sensitive to it & it will burn their eyes if they rub their eyes to soon after applying the sanitizer. 
What can you do if you do not want to use an Alcohol based sanitizer? 
You do have options!
8 oz of Water (Distilled or Boiled tap water)
10 drops of Lemon Essential Oil
10 drops of Thyme Essential Oil
10 Drops of Tea Tree Oil
10 Drops of Eucalyptus Essential Oil
2 Drops of Cinnamon Essential Oil
1/3 Cup of Aloe Vera gel
Mix together in a re-purposed bottle, shake well and use as often as necessary. The great thing about this mixture is it will not dry out your hands with repeated use and it kills the germs without the bacteria getting immune to the alcohol based sanitizers.

Essential oils and Drug resistant bacteria:

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