I never thought that I would need to know how to make hand sanitizer. Looking back to the time before COVID19 appeared and led to the current hand sanitizer shortage, I wish I had stocked up on gallon-sized bottles of hand sanitizer! My family’s measly little 8 ounce bottle of hand sanitizer ran out quickly.

At home, we can wash our hands with soap and water. In fact, it is best to wash hands with soap and water. However, hand sanitizer is an alternative to soap and water if you are out and about. Be sure to wash with soap and water as soon as you are able to do so.

I recycled an empty hand soap pump bottle to dispense the DIY hand sanitizer.

The CDC recommends the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers with greater than 70% isopropyl.

How To Make Hand Sanitizer with Just 2 Ingredients

Luckily, my home medicine cabinet contains a bottle of Isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and a bottle of Aloe Vera Gel. These are the 2 ingredients you need to make hand sanitizer.

As of this writing, the CDC recommends using alcohol that is at least 70% isopropyl. Mine happens to be 91%. Anything above 70% can be used effectively.

OPTIONAL 3rd INGREDIENT FOR SCENT

If you want to add scent to your hand sanitizer, use a few drops of essential oil. I added Lemon Essential Oil to this batch of homemade hand sanitizer. Lavender and Tea Tree would also be good choices. Or, simply leave out the essential oil. It’s optional. *Be sure that the essential oil you use is skin-friendly!

A Note About This Homemade Hand Sanitizer

I assumed that the aloe vera gel would make this hand sanitizer have a gel consistency similar to Purell hand sanitizer. However, it does not. This homemade hand sanitizer is very fluid. It is not at all a gel-like consistency. Just wanted to give you a head’s up so you won’t be surprised like me. The hand sanitizer dispenses like a liquid from the pump bottle.

If you prefer, you can put this hand sanitizer into a spray bottle instead of a pump bottle. Homemade hand sanitizer spray is effective and easy to use on the go.