As many of you are aware, current events are making it particularly difficult to find important commodities – hand sanitiser being one of them. Although washing your hands thoroughly with soap is just as effective and is something we must continue to do and NOT substitute for sanitiser, there’s no harm in taking extra precautions when necessary. Luckily, it’s not too difficult to make your own natural hand sanitiser, so here’s how:
The ingredients listed below are far more natural than those used in commercial hand sanitisers which tend to use more chemicals. However, if you have sensitive skin then be sure to do a small allergy patch test as essential oils are highly concentrated plant extracts. You can do this by simply mixing 1 drop of essential oil with approximately 1 tablespoon of olive oil, rub it on the inside of your elbow and then wrap it up with a bandage or cloth and leave it for 24 hours. The reason for using these extracts is that they kill germs – but more importantly they do not cause bacterial resistance like antibacterial chemicals and are actually more effective in killing strains of bacteria which are resistant to manmade medicines and chemicals.
If you are concerned about going out to buy the following ingredients, you can always order them online from a variety of stores instead.
Ingredients
- 5-10 drops of lavender essential oil – you can always choose an alternative scent if you’re not a fan of lavender as this ingredient is to mitigate the strong scent of tea tree oil.
- 30 drops of tea tree essential oil
- 3 ounces of high-proof vodka (or rubbing alcohol)
- 1 ounce of pure aloe vera gel – if you wish to make the hand sanitiser a spray, rather than a gel, substitute the aloe vera gel for witch hazel.
- ¼ teaspoon of Vitamin E oil (for softening your hands)
Instructions
- Mix the lavender essential oil, the tea tree essential oil and Vitamin E oil in a small bowl/container.
- Next, add the vodka and gently swirl again.
- Now add the aloe vera gel (or witch hazel) and mix well.
- Once thoroughly mixed, pour the mixture into one or several smalls containers such as a travel bottle or an empty soap bottle – coloured bottles are better as it prevents the essential oils from being exposed to light, therefore the hand sanitizer will last longer.
When washing your hands before using your hand sanitiser, why not treat yourself to some of The Dartmoor Soap Company’s all-natural, good quality soap? We have some great deals for you this month, with 25% off bundles of three!