With COVID-19 among us, hand sanitizer and disinfecting items are harder to come by in the local grocery store. It’s important to remember that homemade options are only recommended in extreme situations when you’re unable to wash your hands or find your normal products. Homemade hand sanitizer is also not recommended for children. But if you’re in a pinch, here are two ways to make disinfectants with household items.
Homemade Disinfectant Wipes
1 cup water
1/4 cup rubbing alcohol -90% or higher
2 Tbsp. dish soap
Old cotton rags or dish towels
Place cotton rags, cut to size, 4x6, and place into a container. An old baby wipes container works well for this. Combine above ingredients and pour over the rags. Once the homemade wipes are used, throw them in the washing machine and reuse. The above amount makes about 24 wipes, you can make a bigger or smaller batch depending on your household’s needs.
Homemade Hand Sanitizer
Small pump bottle or shampoo bottle (recipe makes around 9oz)
2/3 cup 99% rubbing alcohol
1/3 cup aloe vera gel
10 drops of essential oil of choice for scent
Mix rubbing alcohol and aloe together until well combined. Then add essential oils and mix again. Funnel into bottle, shake and use. The key to making an effective, germ-busting hand sanitizer is to stick to a 2:1 proportion of alcohol to aloe vera. This keeps the alcohol content around 60 percent, which is the minimum amount needed to kill most germs according to the CDC. Remember: although hand sanitizers can be an effective way of getting rid of germs, health authorities still recommend hand-washing whenever possible to keep your hands free of disease-causing viruses and other germs.