I had a reader ask me how to make homemade hand sanitizer so I did a little digging and YES it's possible. There were a gazillion recipes out there but not all were efficiently made to kill germs. The main thing I found out is that in order for it to properly kill germs it must have at least 60% alcohol in the recipe.
Here's a link to a simple but effective recipe to kill germs.
I like the thought of making our own because you can control the ingredients in it but I'm wondering how cost effective it is since I can buy some at the dollar store. So you'll have to decide if price is more important than healthy ingredients or vice versa. For me, I like being able to control the chemicals and have it smell the way I want it to.
Let me know what you think.
9 comments:
I can't wait to give this a try. But no wonder the hands get dry when using a sanatizer! 65% alcohol. Hmmm...
I must admit that with the H1N1 flu going around, I do use hand sanitizer a lot right now. But otherwise, washing your hands with soap and water is just as effective, and better for you. It doesn't dry your hands out as much, etc etc.
I just put rubbing alcohol in a little spray bottle with a fine mist. It's good for grocery cart handles too.
with recent hand sanitizer recall, maybe home-made is the safer way to go.
This is great to make. I made some during the summer. We are almost out so I am planning to make more. I use the receipe that you reference in your post with the 91% alcohol. I think it works great! Homemade it great! I make homemade cleaners for the house and homemade laundry detergent. I love that!
As a chemist and regulatory expert (and very frugal person) who works for a major player in the cleaning and sanitizing market, I do have to caution against making your own hand sanitizer. You are correct that the level of alcohol is critical, but several other factors can also play into the stability and efficacy of the product. The products on the market have been put through extensive efficacy and stability testing in the exact packaging that they are marketed in and with the exact formula (including fragrance, type of alcohol, grade of alcohol).
For myself, when I have access to water, I prefer to focus on cleaning my hands with soap and water and focus less on sanitizing. The real benefit of hand sanitizer is when water isn't available or handy.
Simpler, safer and cost-friendly approach is to focus on non-alcohol hand sanitizer products. Most use the same organic compound as the active ingredient (the same one used in Bactine antiseptic)--so it simply becomes an issue of comparing prices. Stay away from the products that incorporate a fragrance or dye.. One company "Soapopular" is giving away free samples of its product via its website http://www.soapyusa.com
Thanks for sharing this! :o)
I work at an elementary school, our school nurse advised for every 3 times you use sanitizer the next time you need to go use soap and water. Handy advice for flu season, I was sanitizing every time I sneezed or used a tissue when I needed to go wash my hands some of the time.
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