This DIY Hand sanitizer is a quick way to rid your hands of bacteria after doing things such as handling money, using a public restroom, shaking hands during cold season or pushing a grocery store cart. The ones you buy are filled with chemicals and alcohol. These simple recipes can be made with three ingredients (or two if you prefer).  It’s powerful and it’s safe. We’ll explain why we use the ingredients we do and which ones you can take or leave. For a wonderful sanitizing spray for your home check out our Cleansing Room Spray Recipe. It also has printable instructions and labels!

DIY Hand Sanitizer Supplies

• 100% Aloe Vera Gel  (We used this brand.)
• Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca oil)   Plant Therapy Brand  $7  10ml  (use approx. 8 to 10 drops per 8 oz )  Doterra Brand 15ml  $20 (use approx. 1-3 drops per 8 oz )
• Distilled Water
• Plastic container of choice
• Printable labels below & wide clear packing tape (optional)

NOTE ON ESSENTIAL OILS

I am not affiliated with any brand of oil and you will find Young Living, Doterra, Plant Therapy and others in my herb closet.  And I’m FAR from an expert. I know there are brands that are much less effective due to how they are made. You can use whatever brand you like. Just because an oil is expensive does not make it more effective. The opposite is also true. I use specific Doterra oils for serious things I’m trying to heal only because there are some medical studies on several of them. Such as OnGuard kills the MRSA virus. Which is pretty amazing as Western Medicine can’t do that.  You can read more about that on my post Cure MRSA Staph Infection Naturally  where my son would have lost his finger from MRSA were it not for using Doterra OnGuard among other things.  I strongly suggest researching what makes a good oil.

I’ve read that Plant Therapy is a very good brand that is cheaper because it’s not part of an MLM  company. Which makes sense.

For lower quality brands it does take more to be effective but again, it depends on the quality of the brand.  I have a close friend who is a trained herbalist and creates her own salves etc.

“One to two drops of a Doterra in 8 oz. [or other high quality oil] is plenty for use as an anti-bacterial. You need five to ten for a cheaper brand. For example, for a healing product you would have to use 60 -70 drops per gallon with other brands. With Doterra you would only use 12-15 drops.”

Ingredient Option Details

Aloe Vera Gel: The Aloe Vera plant is wonderful for using in hand sanitizer because of its powerful antioxidant and antibacterial benefits. Plus it’s great for the skin and is also widely used or healing burns. This will make your sanitizer thick but it’s optional.

Tea Tree Oil: Also known as melaleuca oil, this is one of the most powerful and safe antibacterials available. (Natural or otherwise.) There are other oils that have the same property but I always use tea tree. Why? Because it will heal MRSA and did so for my son saving him the loss of his finger.

Distilled Water: You can use tap water for mixing your sanitizer but if the mixture is not used up within a few weeks it can start to putrefy. Tap water is filled with microbes and possible contaminants. Distilled water has been stripped of everything so there is nothing to “go bad”. Hence why it’s used in all herbal creations.

Containers: You can purchase various types of small empty containers at most stores including dollar stores. Or just use an empty container from something else. Because this mixture is not exact and is very forgiving you can make a larger batch easily by adjusting the amounts. It doesn’t matter if you use 10 or 15 drops of tea tree oil. It will work great!

As is a good idea for anything you’ve not used before, test these items separately on a small patch of skin.

Printable Download

Directions & Labels (pdf)

Instructions

There are three variations and consistencies you can make depending on your preference. 1. Gel (works in squeeze tubes) 2. Liquid (works in spray bottles) 3. Lotion (works on regular or pump bottles)  We used 4 to 6 oz. sizes for easy carrying in the car or purse.

 

Gel Hand Sanitizer
A non-sticky gel (using the aloe brand we used) which can be squeezed out of a bottle. Does not need water.

Ingredients: 100% Aloe Vera Gel,   Tea Tree Oil

Instructions: Fill almost full with 100% Aloe gel. Add tea tree oil. For 4 to 6 oz size use 1 to 2 drops of higher quality oil or 6 to 8 a of lower quality oil. (You do not have to be exact.) Mix well. Adjust as needed for size.

Use: Squeeze a dime sized amount of gel into your hands and rub in. Use whenever needed.

 

Liquid Hand Sanitizer
Perfect for a spray bottle. This one does not use the aloe gel in order to keep it thin. Tea Tree oil is powerful enough on it’s own to banish germs.

Ingredients: Distilled Water,  Tea Tree Oil

Instructions: Fill your  spray bottle with distilled water. For 4 to 6 oz size use 1 to 2 drops of higher quality oil or 6 to 8  of lower quality oil. (You do not have to be exact.) Mix well. Adjust as needed for size.

Use: Spray lightly on hands and rub all over. Let them air dry. Use whenever desired.

 

Lotion Hand Sanitizer 
A lotion type consistency to your liking depending on how much aloe gel you add.

Ingredients: Distilled Water,  100 % Aloe Vera Gel, Tea Tree Oil

Instructions: Fill your bottle at least ½ full of distilled water. Add in Aloa Vera gel until it’s the consistency you like. Add more water if desired. For 4 to 6 oz size use 1 to 2 drops of higher quality oil or 6 to 8 of lower quality oil. (You do not have to be exact.) Mix well. Adjust as needed for size.

Use: Pour/squeeze out of a soft plastic bottle. Use about a dime size and rub into hands. Use when needed.

Visual Instructions

The two or three ingredients needed.

We used 4-6 oz. travel sized containers.

For the gel version fill a squeezable tube almost full with aloe gel.

Add tea tree oil.

Squeeze the container to mix the oil into the aloe.

For the liquid spray, fill your bottle almost full with distilled water.

Add tea tree oil and mix.

For a lotion like consistency, fill your bottle about 1/2 full with distilled water.

Add aloe gel until its the consistency you prefer.

Add tea tree oil and mix.

Cut out labels of choice.

Use clear packing tape to make the label waterproof and affix it to the bottle.

Trim the tape leaving enough around the edges to stick the label to the bottle.