how to locally produce hand sanitizer

Hand sanitizer is a supplement or alternative to hand washing with soap and water, when it comes to preventing infectious diseases like COVID-19; nothing beats the old-fashioned hand washing.

But if water and soap aren’t available, your next best option according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is to use an alcohol based sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent of alcohol.

Unless you have already stock-piled or bought enough hand sanitizers, because it will be very difficult to purchase right now. Due to the fast spreading Corona virus, most retailers can’t keep up with the demand for hand sanitizers.

According to Dr. Rishi Desai, the chief medical officer of Osmosis, and a former epidemic intelligence service officer in the division for viral diseases at the CDC, says that hand sanitizer will kill 99.9 percent of germs after 60 seconds.

What you’ll need:

·         3/4 cup of isopropyl or rubbing alcohol (99 percent).

·         1/4 cup of Aloe Vera Gel (to help your hands smooth and counteract the harshness of the alcohol.

·         10 drops of essential oil.

Directions

·         Pour all ingredients into a bowl, ideally one with a pouring spout like a glass measuring container.

·         Mix with a spoon and then beat with a whisk to turn the sanitizer into a gel.

·         Pour the ingredients into an empty bottle for easy use, and label it “hand sanitizer.”

Dos and don’t

When making the hand sanitizer at home, there are safety tips you are to adhere to:

·         Make the hand sanitizer in a clean space; wipe down counter tops with a diluted bleach solution beforehand.

·         Wash your hands thoroughly before making the hand sanitizer.

·         All items to be used for making the sanitizer must be washed and clean before use.

·         Make sure the alcohol used for the hand sanitizer is not diluted.

·         Mix all ingredients thoroughly until they are blended well.

·         Don’t touch the mixture with your hands until it is ready for use.

Two things we must be aware of when using the hand sanitizer is that you need to rub it into your skin until your hands are dry. And, if your hands are dirty or greasy, you should wash your hands with soap and water before use.

We are advised to use hand sanitizer regularly to help reduce the spread of Corona virus.