Make Your Own Hand Sanitizer

With people around the world freaking out about the Coronavirus, hoarding is becoming an issue. Even in Billings, stores have been running out or limiting purchases of hand sanitizer and other items. An article today says that Purell sales numbers are up over 300% in just a week, with the company ramping up extra production capabilities.

Not to mention the whole toilet paper fiasco. WHY??? No one in their right mind needs 500 rolls of toilet paper. My large family of 7 only goes through a 48 pack roll every month or two. Seriously, stop buying cases of toilet paper. You're being a greedy a-hole and it's ridiculous. I digress... let's get back to keeping your filthy hands clean.

Like we all learned in kindergarten, washing your hands helps prevent the spread of germs. Experts say hand sanitizer is not the best substitute for a good old fashioned soap and water scrub. When my baby was in the NICU for a month, we learned all about handwashing. Hospitals get it. They wouldn't even let you in the preemie room until you washed thoroughly with a heavy-duty soap and these special disposable nail brushes. My hands were never so clean.

Hand sanitizer does work when you're not around a sink and it's better than doing nothing. If you've gone to the store and they are sold out (thanks a LOT, hoarders), here is a super simple recipe to make your own. It's just three ingredients.

• 1 cup of 91% isopropyl alcohol
• ½ cup of aloe vera gel (natural or store-bought)
• 15 drops of tea tree oil (or another antibacterial essential oil)

Mix it all together, put it in a bottle of some sort and that's it.

Keep in mind that experts say that it can be very tricky to make hand sanitizer correctly because it's difficult to get the ratios correct and that can lead to not enough sanitization or a mixture that's too harsh. For more tips on how to do it right, check out this article from CNET.com.  

You can get aloe gel at the grocery or health food store. Look in the health or beauty department or in the first aid section. If you can't find the gel, most grocery stores around town carry giant leaves of aloe plant (in their produce department) and you can squeeze the gel out that way. After all, you only need a half cup for the recipe. There ya' go. Stay clean, my germy friends.