Properly scrubbing your hands is one of the best ways to stop the spread of germs and viruses, and to ensure you don’t get sick yourself. But if you don’t have access to soap and clean water, or if you’re out and about and nowhere near a sink, you should carry hand sanitizer to protect your health.
As you’re no doubt aware, bottles of hand sanitizer (Purell, Wet Ones, and the like) sell out quickly during public health crises. But don’t worry—making your own hand sanitizer is remarkably easy. You just have to be careful you don’t mess it up. Make sure that the tools you use for mixing are properly sanitized; otherwise you could contaminate the whole thing. Also, the World Health Organization recommends letting your concoction sit for a minimum of 72 hours after you’re done. That way the sanitizer has time to kill any bacteria that might have been introduced during the mixing process.
We actually have two recipes for you, along with links to find the ingredients. The first is one you can make with stuff you likely already have in your cabinets and under the sink, so it’s effective in emergency situations. The second recipe is more complex, but easy to make if you have the opportunity to do some shopping and planning ahead of time. Another note: A lot of these items are quickly going out of stock because of high demand. There’s a higher chance of finding them at your local drug store, but your first priority is to stay indoors.
Updated April 15: We’ve refreshed the links in this guide and added some more detailed advice on other standard measures you should be taking.
(Note: If you buy something using the links in our stories, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Here’s how this works.)
Potency Matters
You’re going to need some alcohol. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, your sanitizer mix must be at least 60 percent alcohol to be effective. But it’s better to get way above that—aim for a minimum of 75 percent. A bottle of 99 percent isopropyl alcohol is the best thing to use. Your regular vodka and whiskey are too wimpy and won’t cut it.
The Quick (Gel) Recipe
Mix 3 parts isopropyl alcohol to 1 part aloe vera gel. Add a few drops of tea tree oil to give it a pleasant scent and to align your chakras.
The Better (Spray) Recipe
The aloe mixture gets the job done, but aloe also leaves your skin annoyingly sticky. So, here’s a recipe that’s less sticky and more potent, based on the mix recommended by the WHO.
Mix 12 fluid ounces of alcohol with 2 teaspoons of glycerol. You can buy jugs of glycerol online, and it’s an important ingredient because it keeps the alcohol from drying out your hands. If you can’t find glycerol, proceed with the rest of the recipe anyway and just remember to moisturize your hands after applying the sanitizer.
