The Ultimate Guide to DIY Hand Sanitizer without Alcohol

Most things you touch, carry, or play with every day have probably not been washed, cleaned, or sterilized in a long while or ever. They are usually contaminated with many microbes.

You’re not always conscious about these things, and once something edible comes your way, you’re already eating away with the same hands.

But since your immune system is powerful to fight these germs and keep you healthy, you don’t realize what you do to yourself every day.

You don’t see the ladies’ or gentlemen’s room everywhere you go. So, it’s almost impossible to wash your hands with soap and water regularly.

It’s disturbing to know that you’re contacting germs daily and there’s nothing you can do about it even if you stay in your house all day.

But what if there’s something you can do about it?

Yes, there’s something you can do about it. That’s why you’d be learning how to make hand sanitizers in this article.

Ever since the coronavirus pandemic hit the whole world, the need for hand sanitizers has been on the increase. Many companies have also moved toward hand sanitizer production, and this has also made many people develop recipes and methods for making it.

The hand sanitizers are alcohol-based or non-alcohol based.

In this piece, you’ll learn 4 simple methods and recipes for making a non-alcohol based hand sanitizer. It is safe and harmless to make and can be used for household, personal, or commercial purposes.

What is Hand Sanitizer?

A hand sanitizer is a sterile liquid or jelly-like substance you rub on the palms of your hands.

It’s used to kill germs you must have packed because of contact with various contaminated surfaces.

It has very antimicrobial and antiseptic properties that destroy bacteria, fungi, and many other germs that cause sicknesses.

Types of Hand Sanitizers

Many companies make commercial hand sanitizers sold in pharmacies, drug stores, and grocery shops. 

These hand sanitizers come in different container sizes which could range from a big 500ml to small 50ml sizes. The small-sized containers can be carried around anywhere you go because they can be carefully kept in small bags or pockets.

Hand sanitizers could also be alcohol-based or non-alcohol based. Most commercially produced sanitizers are alcohol-based. Some of them might be harmful in these ways:

1. The alcohol content usually causes dryness of the skin and could lead to fast aging.
2. Due to the anti-bacterial properties, triclosan is mostly present because it is effective in killing bacteria. However, triclosan doesn’t kill other microbes like fungi or viruses you hear about not even the notorious coronavirus. Triclosan also makes dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

3. Parabens and synthetic fragrances are usually added even though you might not know it. These substances are usually harmful toxic chemicals that are endocrine and hormone disruptors; some also cause

You can’t easily get these pieces of information except you stumble on them or do research yourself. This is why the alternative non-alcohol based sanitizer is a suitable fit for you because it’s safe and made with natural ingredients.

You’re about to learn 4 do-it-yourself ways to make a homemade non-alcohol based hand sanitizer.

4 ways to Make Your Homemade Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitizer

These methods include no preservatives or substances that give the hand sanitizers a longer shelf life. If you’re using any of these methods to make hand sanitizers for household or personal use, it is advisable to make them in small quantities or batches to avoid wastage.

Method 1 – Apple Cider vinegar Hand Sanitizer

This sanitizer uses apple cider vinegar for its antimicrobial activity. The ingredients are easy to find and can be gotten in your house or from any nearby store.

Ingredients: Aloe Vera plant (stem), clean water, apple cider vinegar, rosewater

Materials: Knife, small blender, tablespoon, cup, empty spray bottle or container

DIY Guide

• Cut a stem of Aloe Vera plant and use a knife to peel off the back (to expose the Aloe Vera gel)
• Scoop enough Aloe Vera gel from the stem after removing the back and pour the gel in a small blender
• Add 4 tablespoon full of clean water to the Aloe Vera gel in the blender, cover the blender, and blend for 1 minute
• After blending, add three tablespoons full of apple cider vinegar, then 4 tablespoons full of rosewater
• Blend the mixture for another minute
• Pour the blended mixture in a spray bottle

Your apple cider vinegar hand sanitizer is ready for use anywhere and anytime. Once you want to use it, press the spray bottle pump into your palm two or three times, and rub your palms against each other well.

Method 2 – Witch Hazel Hand Sanitizer

Image credit: etsy.com

This method uses Witch Hazel (without alcohol or scent) and any essential oil as anti-microbial agents. You can buy them from any pharmacy or cosmetic store around you. And if you prefer, you can order them online from stores like Amazon.

Ingredients: Essential oil (15 drops), ready-made Aloe Vera gel (1/4 cup), Witch hazel (2 tablespoons full), water

Materials: Tablespoon, cup, dropper (micropipette), funnel, clean empty lotion bottle

DIY Guide

• Insert a funnel in an empty bottle
• Pour in 1/4 cup of Aloe Vera and 2 tablespoons full of Witch Hazel into the bottle through the funnel
• Add little water and 15 drops of essential oil
• Remove the funnel, cover the bottle, and shake it vigorously to ensure it mixes well

Your hand sanitizer is ready to use. Whenever you want to apply it, shake well and squeeze a little out into the palms of your hands and rub them against each other.

Hand sanitizers made through this method make the hands feel soft and do not give a hand drying out feeling when you apply them.

Method 3 – Surgical Spirit Hand Sanitizer

This method uses the surgical spirit as the major germs killing agent. It could be found in any big pharmacy or local drug store you enter. It is usually available in hospitals and clinics, so you can also find it there.

Ingredients: surgical spirit, Aloe Vera plant (stem), little quantity of water

Materials: Knife, small blender, cup, empty spray bottle or container

DIY Guide

• Remove the back of the Aloe Vera plant using a knife and collect the Aloe Vera gel
• Put Aloe Vera gel in a blender, add a little amount of water, and blend for about a minute
• After blending, pour the gel in an empty spray bottle or container
• Add a quantity of surgical spirit equivalent of a full cover of its container to the bottle containing Aloe Vera gel
• Close the lid and shake vigorously to mix

Your hand sanitizer is ready. To apply it, spray twice on the palms of your hands and rub them together.

Method 4 – Germ Destroyer Hand Sanitizer

This method is outlined for preparing only an ounce spray bottle. Germ destroyer is the antimicrobial agent in this method. Germ destroyer can be gotten on Amazon.

• Ingredients: 1 tablespoon full Aloe Vera spray or gel, 1 tablespoon full vitamin E oil, 1 tablespoon full alcohol-free Witch hazel, 30-36 drops of germ destroyer, or 30 drops tea tree oil, and 5-10 drops Lavender essential oil.

Materials: Tablespoon, one-ounce spray bottle, glass jar

DIY Guide

If you’re using Aloe Vera gel,

• Pour 1 tablespoon full of Aloe Vera gel into an empty glass jar
• Add 1 tablespoon full off Vitamin E oil
• 1 tablespoon full alcohol-free Witch hazel
• Add 30-36 drops of germ destroyer or 30 drops of tea tree oil and 5-10 drops of Lavender essential oil
• Mix thoroughly in the glass jar so that the gel becomes more liquid
• Pour the mixture into an ounce spray bottle and cover

If you’re using Aloe Vera spray,

• Follow all the steps in used in Aloe Vera gel method
• Transfer mixture into the bottle using a pipette

Your hand sanitizer is ready to use. Apply by spraying it into your palms and rub against each other.

Conclusion

There you have it, the 4 cheap, easy, and fast do-it-yourself ways to make homemade alcohol-free hand sanitizers. The ingredients used in making them are sold around you and can also be ordered from online stores, whichever is convenient.

You can quickly make as small as the quantity of an ounce bottle and carry it with you wherever you go. Apply it at intervals to ensure that your hands remain sanitized, especially after contact with surfaces and people (through handshakes).

It’s important to know that the hand sanitizers made using these methods are not guaranteed to kill much bacteria, fungi, and viruses. However, due to the antimicrobial properties of some ingredients used in making them, they have the power to kill a fair amount of germs.