Natural Homemade Hand Sanitizer

I’m by no means a clean freak or a germophobe. Having kids will remove any tendencies to that behavior.

In general, I’m not terribly concerned about super sanitary conditions. I eat raw cookie dough. At home, my five second rule stretches into hours. And washing my hands when I come in from working in the garden usually consists of a vigorous scrub under the water to remove most of the visible dirt, no soap involved. (Unless I’ve accidentally grabbed a slug, the slime of which seems to require paint thinner to remove.)

But sometimes there are situations that will turn even the hardiest of folk squeamish, like a public restroom at the county fairgrounds. In these cases, it’s nice to be able to clean up a little more thoroughly. And if you don’t have soap (or you don’t even want to touch the soap dispenser), having a good homemade hand sanitizer available could be a lifesaver. Literally.

While exposure to some bacteria and other germs is essential for developing a strong immune system, sometimes we just don’t want to take the chance.

Because of its convenience (and our increasingly hyper-sanitized world), hand sanitizer has become big business. And it is nice to have around when you can’t find soap and water. But most commercial hand sanitizers are made with sketchy ingredients like triclosan, benzalkonium chloride, and fragrances.

To avoid these and still get the same germ-fighting benefits, you can easily make your own homemade hand sanitizer.

Homemade Hand Sanitizer Using the Power of Essential Oils

A number of essential oils have demonstrated remarkable antimicrobial properties. Lavender, tea tree, clove, cinnamon, and rosemary are just some oils that have proven germ-fighting ability. Using one or a combination of these can be just as effective as the commercial stuff.

Add some witch hazel (or vodka) and glycerin or aloe vera gel, and you’re good to go.

So the next time you throw the kids in a dirty shopping cart or you shake hands with the guy who was just picking his nose, make sure you have a bottle of this natural homemade hand sanitizer spray!