How to Make Hand Sanitizer with Two Ingredients

How to Make Hand Sanitizer with Only Two Ingredients

How to Make Hand Sanitizer with Only Two Ingredients

Hand sanitizers are nice to have around, but they can contain toxic ingredients. Here’s how to make hand sanitizer with only two ingredients!

Triclosan is a controversial hand sanitizer chemical linked to endocrine disruption as well as other human health and environmental issues. It’s been linked to the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and even worse, it is not effective against viruses, which are often more likely the cause of our colds and flus than bacteria in the first place. That’s not the case for apple cider vinegar though—which is antibacterial and antiviral—and you can easily learn how to make hand sanitizer with vinegar that actually works and costs less money.

Apple cider vinegar (and any vinegar, really) is also as effective as bleach in killing about 99 percent of germs but without the toxic chemicals. It’s far safer than bleach and triclosan and is generally one of the least expensive household items you can purchase.

Related: DIY Beauty Products from Kitchen Ingredients

While simply using soap and water to wash your hands is really the most effective way to prevent the spread of germs, running water isn’t always accessible, especially when we’re out and about in the summer. It’s nice to have a hand sanitizer for when you’re hiking on a trail, at the beach, or events where there may not be running water.

You can use any type of vinegar for this hand sanitizer recipe (although you should avoid very sweet vinegars). And you can also add in a few drops of essential oils if the vinegar smell is offensive to you. Lavender is always nice, but lemon also works well as does peppermint. If you don’t mind the smell of vinegar, you can just use it as-is. (As you use vinegar more and more in your household and personal care regimen, you’ll find the smell less objectionable and more refreshing!)

How to Make Hand Sanitizer

All you need are aloe vera gel and vinegar. Aloe vera gel can be found at health food stores or online, and you want to find one that’s pure; no other ingredients added. This is not very difficult to do.

Materials

  • apple cider vinegar
  • aloe vera gel
  • clean spray bottle (you can buy a new one or wash an old one out really well)

Directions

Combine the aloe and apple cider vinegar in a 2:1 ratio (two parts aloe to one part vinegar). Mix well to combine and store in a spray bottle. That’s it! Spray hands and surfaces, utensils, baby toys, etc and don’t worry about triclosan exposure or the risk of germs.

Syndicated with permission from Eat Drink Better; Hand Sanitizer photo via Shutterstock

4 thoughts on “How to Make Hand Sanitizer with Two Ingredients”

  1. Pingback: From Our Friends: August 22, 2014 | Organic Authority

  2. Nancy Sienknecht

    Thanks so much, Ms Ettinger. Why is aloe gel necessary in the hand sanitizer? Isn’t plain vinegar enough by itself? Nancy

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