I’m happy to welcome our guest today!! I am so glad I came across her blog. I love learning about the simple ways she saves money around the home by making and using safe and natural products. . Her recipe for hand sanitizer couldn’t have come at a more perfect time for me with all the colds going around….especially with Easter around the corner. Thanks Alicia!
Hi I am Alicia fromEco Friendly Homemaking. I am thrilled that Rene’ has asked me to guest post on her blog today. I love blogging about being Eco Friendly and for me that includes gardening , recycling and making as many of our own products from natural ingredients. We set a goal a few years ago to try and rid our home from the harmful chemicals that seem to be lurking in so many of the products that we use everyday. We have pretty much succeeded in this endeavor. One of the products that I was so surprised about was hand sanitizers. I went about searching for a way to make our own using all natural ingredients. After reading and checking over many recipes I found one that I really liked and I would love to share it with you today.I hope that this all natural chemical free hand sanitizer will be a Blessing to you and your family.
A lot of times we think of hand sanitizers in the Winter months because of colds and flu but some of the most important places I have found to use them is after handling the basket at the grocery store and any public bathroom. With Summer coming up and children playing on equipment at playgrounds it might be good to use it then also. Really it is just nice to have on hand to use whenever you need it. I had been so amazed when I read that most commercial hand sanitizers contain 60% to 90% alcohol. That is a stronger concentration than most hard liquors!! I was really upset when I read how many children each year have to go to the emergency room after ingesting hand sanitizers. We really need to always read the labels on things like this Making your own is more affordable and much safer than what you buy at the store.
You will need:
1 cup pure Aloe Vera Gel
1-2 teaspoons Witch Hazel
3-4 drops of Tea Tree essential oil
3-4 drops of Peppermint essential oil
Slowly stir ingredients together. If you find the consistency to be to thin add more Aloe Vera gel a teaspoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
Store in a container of your choice and use as you would any other hand sanitizer. Witch Hazel, Tea Tree oil and peppermint all have antiseptic and astrigent properties to them which make them great at killing germs. The Aloe Vera will help sooth skin and keep it from drying out.
I do want to say that Witch Hazel and Tea Tree oil can cause dryness in people with sensitive skin. If you find this to occur just limit the use of it to just a few times a day and see if that works for you. Do you like using hand sanitizers?
Check out more recipes at Eco Friendly Homemaking.
My daughter has severe eczema, so cannot use hand sanitizers. They burn her skin terribly. I am going to try this recipe and see what happens. I’m sure the aloe won’t hurt her.
One item I might try (and have been using on my own) is coconut oil. Coconut oil has anti bacterial qualities…if you just rub it on your skin it will kill bacteria…plus it smells amazing and softens the skin. I will try adding this to your recipe!
Great idea!
Sarah
Love this guest post (I checked out her blog too – awesom)! I use hand sanitzers frequently, especially when around my mother who is undergoing chemotherapy, but haven’t liked the way my hands feel afterwards. I’m going to give this recipe a try. I have all of the ingredients in my closet (I might try coconut oil too!).
Deb, Sorry to hear about your mom. I’m glad you checked out Alicia’s blog.
Sarah, Thank you for the tip.
Alicia is a wealth of ideas! I want to add that most hand sanitizer also contains triclosan, which may be an endocrine disrupter and interfere with thyroid function. It’s worth avoiding whenever possible.
http://www.ewg.org/triclosanguide