Witch Hazel-Based Hand Cleaning Solution
Gather your ingredients. Some people prefer not to use alcohol-based hand sanitizer, since alcohol has a strong smell and can have a severe drying effect on skin. Witch-hazel based solutions are not effective against viruses and bacteria. Here's what you'll need:
- 1 cup pure aloe vera gel (preferably without additives)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons witch hazel
- 30 drops tea tree oil
- 5 drops essential oil, such as lavender or peppermint
- Mixing bowl
- Spoon
- Funnel
- Plastic container
Stir together the aloe vera gel, tea tree oil and witch hazel. If the mixture seems too thin, add another spoonful of aloe vera to thicken it. If it's too thick, add another spoonful of witch hazel.
Stir in the essential oil. Since the smell of the tea tree oil is already strong, go easy on the added essential oils. Five or so drops should be enough, but if you want to add more, stir it in one drop at a time.
Funnel the mixture into the container. Place the funnel over the mouth of the container and pour the hand cleaning solution in. Fill it up, then screw on the lid until you're ready to use it.
- A small squirt bottle works well if you want to carry the solution with you throughout the day.
- If you make too much for the bottle, save the leftover solution in a jar with a tightly-fitted lid.
Washing your hands with soap is better, but if you have no soap and water, hand sanitizer is the second best thing. Commercial hand sanitizer can get expensive, and with the shortage of hand sanitizer due to COVID-19, you may have to resort to making your own. Making your own hand sanitizer is a simple process that results in a formula you can customize to suit your personal tastes.
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