How to Make Hand Sanitizer Spray – Simple & Healthy

Making your own hand sanitizer is one of the best ways you can protect your family from germs and the harmful chemicals in conventional hand sanitizer. Made with only 3 simple, healthy ingredients, you’ll never want to buy hand sanitizer again!

I’ve always hated conventional hand sanitizer. Even as a kid, I thought it smelled awful and it made my hands dry and itchy. Later I learned how harmful some of the ingredients often used in it are, so I avoided it as much as possible. I wanted to protect my body, and I figured my immune system could deal with most germs that I encountered. However, after I had my first baby, I realized I had to find a hand sanitizer I could use. I didn’t want to expose a newborn right away to all of the germs that my immune system was used to handling.

That’s when I discovered how wonderful homemade hand sanitizer is! This spray version kills germs just as effectively as conventional versions since the main ingredient is rubbing alcohol, however, it’s much healthier for your skin and body! It’s scented using essential oils which is healthier than artificial fragrances, and I think it smells much better too.

Why Should You Use Hand Sanitizer?

We all know that the world is full of germs, but it can be so easy to touch our faces, food, or objects such as our phones without washing our hands. Our immune systems are typically capable of handling a lot, and we shouldn’t damage our skin microbiome by the overuse of hand sanitizer and other anti-bacterial products. Hand washing with gentle soap and warm water is still the best way to clean your hands, however, there are certain times when this isn’t possible and hand sanitizer is the best option.

What’s Wrong with Conventional Hand Sanitizer?

Your skin is your largest organ, and it absorbs a high percentage of whatever you put on it. Many widely available hand sanitizers are full of ingredients that have been shown to be harmful to health. While there are definitely healthier versions available, many include at least some of the following ingredients:

• Fragrance – The ingredients used in fragrance are known to disrupt hormones and can cause allergic reactions.
• Parabens – These chemicals can mimic estrogen and cause hormonal problems and issues with the reproductive system.
• Colorants – Unless hand sanitizer is clear, it likely includes synthetic colorants. These chemicals can cause a wide variety of issues and have been linked to cancer, reproductive harm, and neurological problems.

Gel versus Spray Hand Sanitizer

While most hand sanitizers on the market today are in gel form, I prefer liquid spray versions. Spray hand sanitizer won’t ever get sticky or gummy and it dries extremely fast. It’s also more versatile since you can spray it on a variety of hard surfaces such as cart handles or changing tables.

Why You Should Make Your Own

The best solution to these issues with conventional hand sanitizer is to make your own!

Easy – It only takes about 5 minutes to make a bottle. You can do it today!

Simple ingredients – You probably already have the ingredients on hand, however, if you don’t, they can be easily purchased from numerous places.

Healthy – This hand sanitizer doesn’t contain any ingredients that are known to be harmful to your health.

Smells great – Scented with essential oils, this hand sanitizer smells much better and more natural than conventional versions.

Customizable – You can mix and match skin-safe essential oils to create new scents! Many essential oils also have different skin benefits, so you can customize it to target whatever aspect of skin health is most relevant for you.

How to Use Hand Sanitizer

To use on your hands, shake the bottle and spray on your hands. Then rub your hands together to evenly disperse. It’s great to use before eating or feeding kids, when in public places, or after changing a diaper.

Since it’s a liquid spray formula, you can also use it on hard surfaces such as shopping cart handles, toys that fell on a dirty floor, restaurant high chairs, or changing tables. You’ll find yourself using it in all types of situations!

How to Store

Since this sanitizer uses essential oils, it’s important to store in an essential oil safe spray bottle. You can use a glass, metal, or HDPE bottle. If using glass, make sure it’s amber colored to maintain the quality of the essential oils as long as possible. Store it out of direct sunlight.

I like to keep a bottle in my purse or diaper bag to always have around when I need it. Both my husband and I use it all the time, so I try not to accidentally leave it at home when we’re on the go.

Ingredients

Rubbing alcohol (or isopropyl alcohol) – This is the active disinfectant ingredient in this hand sanitizer. Make sure to use 91% alcohol or higher to make this an effective sanitizer.

Witch hazel – Soothes skin and lowers inflammation. This helps to balance the rubbing alcohol which can cause minor skin irritation.

Lavender essential oil – This essential oil is anti-inflammatory, soothing, and healing to skin. You can also substitute other skin-safe essential oils to customize the hand sanitizer scent and skin benefits.

2 ounce spray bottle – Store the hand sanitizer in a mini spray bottle so you can easily carry it in your purse or diaper bag. My favorite option is an amber-colored glass bottle.

How to Make Hand Sanitizer

Start by pouring the rubbing alcohol and witch hazel into the spray bottle. Then add the lavender oil or other skin-safe essential oils of your choice.

Screw on the lid and shake to combine.

You now have your own healthy hand sanitizer! Make a few bottles to keep in your purse, diaper bag, and around the house.

If you make this, let me know in the comments! Tag me on Instagram @violet_rightathome

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