Homemade Hand Sanitizers With Essential Oils

The basic purpose of using hand sanitizers is basically to kill the bacteria or virus that cause infections and other ailments. So, it should be obvious how your choice of essential oil to use must be something that contains these properties in them. When it comes to this matter though, there are a lot of essential oils to choose from but only few that could really offer the sanitizing benefits of certain essential oils to ensure that you are totally protected.

One such oil is cinnamon essential oil, wherein a recent study conducted has revealed to contain potent antiseptic properties that therefore make it very effective in cleansing your hands off of bacteria and viruses. Some of the common causes of infections that cinnamon oil is able to kill are Staphylococcus aureus, E.coli, and other antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria and infections.

Although cinnamon oil is backed up by studies, in most cases combining it with other essential oils can deliver better results. Other choices of essential oils that are highly recommended in preparing hand sanitizer recipes at home include the following:

• lemon oil


• eucalyptus oil


• rosemary oil


• clove oil


• tea tree oil


• cedarwood oil


• lemon grass oil


• lavender oil


• myrrh oil


• patchouli oil


• rose oil


• sandalwood oil


• peppermint oil


• neroli oil


• thyme oil


• niaouli oil


• pine oil


• cinnamon bark oil, etc.

Preparing your own hand sanitizer at home is very simple, provided that you have gathered all ingredients you need. Take note of the following ingredients to prepare your own natural and waterless hand sanitizer: a cup of aloe vera gel, a teaspoon of rubbing alcohol, a teaspoon of glycerine, and about 8 to 10 drops of your chosen essential oil/s.

Once you have all ingredients ready, simply blend them all together in one container until thoroughly incorporated. Then, pour into a separate container wherein you can store it for use over a long period of time.

Non-Drying Essential Oil Hand Sanitizer Recipe

To wash your hands with essential oil sanitizer without drying it out, you need the follow the procedures below to prepare this recipe:

• Begin by gathering the following ingredients: aloe vera gel, essential oils (lavender, tea tree, lemon), glass bottle or jar, and small plastic bottle. You can also use the following essential oil blend consisting of the said oil mixture: lavender, tea tree, citrus oil (orange or lemon), lemongrass, eucalyptus, myrtle, and rosemary.


• Start by adding your essential oils into the jar or glass bottle, then swirling the oil around it.


• Combine your essential oil blend with the aloe vera gel and stir thoroughly.


• After mixing this blend together, you can now pour it into small plastic bottles for convenient storage or to keep it handy when you are on the go and you need to sanitize your hands.

The use of aloe in the above recipe will help you achieve a germ- or bacteria-killing action with drying out your skin. In fact, the above essential oils are even known to be gentle to the skin such that it is recommended for those with naturally dry skin.

Below are more hand sanitizer recipes that you can use, depending on the available ingredients or your own personal standards of hygiene:

*Alcohol-Free Sanitizer

For this recipe, you need to combine the following ingredients using the same procedure outlined for the basic hand sanitizer recipe: one cup of pure aloe vera gel, two teaspoons of witch hazel, and 8 drops of your chosen essential oil/s.

*Alcohol-Based Sanitizer

For this recipe, you need to combine the following ingredients using the same procedure outlined for the basic hand sanitizer recipe: two cups of pure aloe vera gel, two tablespoons 90% alcohol (or perfumer's alcohol as an alternative), and three tablespoons essential oil/s.

*Predominantly Alcohol-Free Sanitizer

For this recipe, you need to combine the following ingredients using the same procedure outlined for the basic hand sanitizer recipe: a quarter of a cup of pure aloe vera gel, a quarter of a cup of alcohol (or vodka as an alternative), and 10 drops of essential oil/s.

If you will review the basic recipe for preparing homemade hand sanitizers, the list of potential essential oil choices have been provided but you can absolutely opt for other types of essential oils. You cannot simply opt for ANY type of essential oil though. Make sure to look into the properties of the oil itself to ensure that it has the capacity to fight off common bacteria, viruses, or sources of infection.

Two of the most useful properties that can be utilized in preparing your homemade hand sanitizers are antibacterial and antiviral properties. Do not just opt for something that is fragrant but you have to ensure it is powerful enough to keep you and your family protected from ailments.