Most hand sanitizers contain harsh chemicals that are drying to the skin and smell very strong. Make your own natural hand sanitizer with essential oils!
Wouldn’t it be great if we lived in a world without germs?
Just imagine…No spoiled food. No common cold. No viruses and bacteria at every corner waiting to attack any living thing in sight.
Disease would be eradicated, and people would be healthy!
Or would they?
Utopian dreams aside, we of course know that a world without germs wouldn’t be a world at all…at least not one that would sustain any sign of life.
So love them or hate them, germs are a necessary part of life, and we wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for those smart little buggers.
The only problem?
As beneficial as they are to life on this planet, sometimes they can be a nuisance, or an unwelcome (even deadly!) invader. So we have to take precautions and protect ourselves from the bad germs that can actually harm us.
The solution?
Super simple…just wash up! Plain soap and water are more than enough to kill the “bad” germs, but gentle enough to not bother the “good” germs that we actually need.
But sometimes? Sometimes you just don’t have those extra few minutes it takes to drop what you’re doing, run to the bathroom, and give your hands a good wash and scrub in the sink.
When I was a teacher, with 20 kids in my class, and no sink in our classroom, I couldn’t just walk down the hall whenever I needed to wash off the gooey, sticky, germ-laden gunk that managed to populate my hands at any given time of day – par for the course when you’re working with a bunch of 8 year olds. π And forget about cold and flu season!
So in comes hand sanitizer to the rescue!
That stuff rocks, it really does. But I’ve had a love/hate relationship with it since forever. It’s super useful in places with lots of people and lots more germs being passed around, like schools, hospitals, or those carts at the grocery store that never, ever get cleaned. <shudder>
But here’s the deal…
Hand sanitizer has such a strong, harsh smell that would have me running to crack open a window every time I used it.
And the main ingredient in these store bought products is ethyl alcohol, and require a minimum concentration of at least 60% in order to be effective at killing all those germs. As much as I like using alcohol for cleaning and disinfecting, I really don’t like the idea of rubbing so much of it on my hands over and over again since it can be very drying and irritating to the skin.
Alcohol is also very toxic and can be deadly for young children, and with a 60% concentration, I definitely don’t want these hand sanitizers anywhere near my kiddos.
And the ingredients list doesn’t stop at alcohol. It also contains a few other questionable ingredients, including artificial fragrance, which comes with it’s own laundry list of health concerns.
What’s the alternative?
When I looked for a natural hand sanitizer on the market, most of them still used the standard 60% alcohol formulation, although they had added moisturizers to counteract the drying effects. I only found one brand, Clean Well, that makes an alcohol-free hand sanitizer (it uses thyme oil, which has been shown to be effective against even drug-resistant bacteria). They have a spray version and a foaming version.
But making a homemade version is actually very easy and requires only a few simple ingredients.
So let’s get started!
Natural Hand Sanitizer Recipe
Here’s what you’ll need:
- aloe vera gel – this will form the base gel, and aloe is very nourishing for the skin.
- witch hazel – has small amount of alcohol (ideally around 14%) in it to sanitize.
- essential oils – anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties, but do not cause antibiotic resistance like other products. Tea tree oil has potent antimicrobial properties (use at least 0.5% concentration), and lavender helps round out the strong tea tree oil smell.
- vitamin E oil – acts as a natural preservative and is moisturizing for the skin.
The witch hazel I used has 14% alcohol by volume. Some brands of witch hazel can have up to 70% alcohol, so look for one with a low alcohol concentration to prevent dry skin.
Here’s how to put it all together:
Start by adding the vitamin E oil and essential oils to a glass bowl, and mix them very well. Then add the witch hazel, and stir to mix. Finally, add the aloe vera gel, and mix again.
That’s it! Wasn’t that simple?
Now you’ll add them to your containers and get on with your life, because you just made natural hand sanitizer and you’re feeling pretty awesome right now. π
You can use these squeeze tubes that you can get online, or you can check the travel toiletries section at your drug store for similar bottles or tubes.
Just throw them in your purse or backpack so you always have it on the go. Or you can use a pump bottle to keep on your desk at work.
This recipe makes a little over 8 ounces, and should last around 6-9 months with no problem. If you’re making a big batch, keep the extra in the fridge until ready to use.
Using fresh aloe from your plant? The shelf life will decrease significantly, and it will have to be kept in the fridge so it doesn’t spoil.

DIY Natural Hand Sanitizer
Most hand sanitizers contain harsh chemicals that are drying to the skin and smell very strong. Make your own natural hand sanitizer with essential oils!
Ingredients
- 1 cup aloe vera gel
- 2 tbsp witch hazel
- 30 drops tea tree oil (about 1/4 tsp)
- 5-10 drops essential oil (rosemary, lavender, cinnamon are great)
- 1/2 tsp vitamin E oil (optional)
- squeeze tubes or bottles
Instructions
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In a small glass bowl, add the essential oils and vitamin E oil and stir.
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Add the witch hazel and stir again.
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Add the aloe vera gel and mix very well.
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Using a funnel, pour the mixture into your container of choice.
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Shake well before using.
Recipe Notes
- The vitamin E oil helps to soften hands and will extend the shelf life up to 3-4 months. In either case, the sanitizer should be discarded after 6-9 months.
- This recipe filled 3 travel size (3 oz) squirt bottles.
Warnings:
- As always, use use caution and care when working with essential oils. Keep in mind that some oils are not recommended for use while pregnant or breastfeeding. So please, research the oils you wish to use before you add them to your recipe. A good resource on safety is Using EOs Safely.
- Although this recipe is safe for adults and young children, I wouldn’t use this (or any sanitizer) on children younger than 2 years of age.
Thanks for the article. Most of the store-bought sanitizers have chemicals and alcohol in it. This will be a better replacement for that. Always go the natural products.
Hi Sarah, is it best to store this hand sanitiser is a dark bottle because of the eo’s? I have seen this recommendation with other recipes. I have just tried this recipe for the first time and found it easy to follow! I added some almond oil instead of vit E for softness. Is this ok too?
Youβre right! If youβre storing diluted oils, like in this recipe, you can use βPET plasticβ containers. It should say βPETβ right on the bottle. Thanks for pointing this out, Iβll update the post. And almond oil sounds perfectly fine!
What kind of container could you use that will not be affected by the EOβs? I think they degrade plastic…
You’re right! If you’re storing diluted oils, like in this recipe, you can use “PET plastic” containers. It should say “PET” right on the bottle. Thanks for pointing this out, I’ll update the post.
Hi, thanks for this info. Can I used coconut oi instead of essential oil. Thanks.
No, coconut oil and essential oils are not interchangeable. The essential oils are highly concentrated oils and are used for their therapeutic properties. Coconut oil is a carrier oil and is generally used in large quantities as a base oil or for moisturizing.
Hi. I have several recipes for hand sanitizer, and this one will go in my collection. I wonder why you didn’t include the thyme oil as stated it is effective against drug resistant bacteria? I am not fond of the smell of tea tree, and nothing I add even gets close to covering it up. 30 drops TT to 10 drops lavender….won’t begin to make it smell like anything other than TT I may try Thyme and Rosemary, both effective against bacteria. Also, I haven’t found any aloe vera gel that doesn’t have VERY questionable ingredients, and I will not buy Lily of the Desert, as they put caragheenan in their dietary supplement, and as someone pointed out, nasty stuff in the link you provided. I, too, use Mountain Rose Herbs product, and will in this as well. It makes it much thinner, but also much healthier, which is what we’re aiming for anyway, right?
Thank you for the recipe!
You’re welcome, Carol! I chose to go with tea tree oil because it’s specifically effective against e.coli and staph infection, whereas thyme is more effective against food borne bacteria like salmonella or those found in milk, for instance. Rosemary is a great choice, as well as cinnamon and oregano. Thanks for pointing out the other options, I’ll go ahead and add those to the post for others to see as well.
Also, about Lily of the Desert, I’ve read a lot about carrageenan, but haven’t found conclusive information that it should be avoided in skin care products. I did come across this post recently: https://www.annmariegianni.com/carrageenan-in-skin-care/
I’m still doing more research on this, but thank you for bring it up, and for sharing your alternative aloe vera from Mountain Rose Herbs. Their products are excellent!
Your information on the lily of nature ( i think that was the name) product was muchly appreciated. I have seen the priduct before and wondered if it was among the long list of products that pretend to be the healthier versions of products with carcinogins purposely added for our ingestion! I guess if they cant make us all smoke , they can sell the bottled death in a less destructive looking package!!
Again , thank you for the headsup. Also, have you thought of oil if oregano, very powerful fighter of bacteria!!
Hi! Thank you for all the wonderful information and recipes you provide!
I’ve read that antibacterial products strip the skin away from the beneficial bacteria that live on it, will this homemade gel do this as well?
Hey Alexandria, you’re right that certain ingredients can be too harsh and kill off even the beneficial bacteria. But in researching this topic, I haven’t come across any papers claiming that a natural antibacterial/antiviral like tea tree oil kills off the good bacteria.
What brand(s) of Aloe Vera Gel have you tried or used in this recipe? I use Mountain Rose Herbs brand in other homemade recipes, like my face wash and sunburn soother, however it’s very thin since it’s about as natural as you can get. The only additives are:
Potassium Sorbate- 0.05%
Ascorbic Acid- 0.10%
Citric Acid- 0.05%
Xanthan Gum- 0.005%
I guess my question is, however much I love this brand for other things, do you have a brand that’s perhaps a little thicker? I have tried to add more xanthan gum and soy lechitin powder to mine, but it leaves a film on my hands. Thanks in advance!
Ah, I didn’t click the link! Nevermind ;). I’ve seen the Lily of the Dessert brand and stopped short of the Phenoxyethanol. I wish I could find one out there with a natural preservative like radish root ferment. I might need to befriend a chemist ;).
Haha, I would love to befriend a chemist! <3
Thanks Mandy, I actually follow this advice as well, but had to put that disclaimer in the post just in case. But I’ll add this link to my disclaimer now, so thanks again! π
Hi! I made your hand sanitizer a while back and LOVE how it does not dry out my skin and is not harsh! i wanted to make large batches for a school I use to work at (since they use the harsh stuff and one, it is really damaging their hands, and two, they use it on children). So I am excited to share this (I will include your info for credit). π My question though is, will this work well with a pump? I would assume so but wanted to ask what you would recommend before I purchase anything. Thanks!
That is awesome and thoughtful of you to make this for your school, Shauna! To be honest, I have no idea if/how this will do in a pump because I haven’t tried it. But I would love to hear how it goes if you do go ahead and try it in a pump!
ETA: I’ve tried this in a pump, and it works great! If it’s too thick for you, just add a little more witch hazel or some distilled water to water it down a tiny bit so it flows through the pump better.
Thanks for the great recipe! Just wondering if I use aloe from my mature plant, will the alcohol in the witch hazel preserve the aloe? Is store bought aloe Vera gel treated or preserved somehow? Thanks for your help!!
Fresh aloe vera gel from the plant will definitely shorten the shelf life, and I’m not sure if there’s enough alcohol in there to act as a preservative. You would have to store it in the fridge, and probably use it up in a week or two? Not sure. But since it’s supposed to be a portable solution, keeping in the fridge would kind of defeat the purpose. π
This would make a great option to stick in your lunch bag! Itβll keep cold, you can use it before and after you eat. I also want to use natural in a batch! I was thinking of how it could be convenient… we have a snack drawer for the kids; I will stick one in there for sanitizing before snacks and meals. Itβs isnt practical for all day/every day use, but it is for specific parts of the day. I plan to make it both ways!
Hi. I am new here and very excited about this site π !! I go thru this stuff like I own stock in the companies, lol. I was just wondering if you have every had any tests or comparison by labs or self testing to verify that without alcohol it is still sanitizing the same, minus the drying out of the skin! Also, do you know how much the cost is say like per ounce?
Sarah, I would also like to know about what permission would be needed to give out your recipes/ideas to friends, or like to post it on FB. I would also post your URL. Was just wondering. I see people post or put things on their websites, but may not give the credit where due.
Thanks for your help in these matters, Cindy
Hi Cindy and Welcome! I’m excited that you’re excited!! π
As for any tests, etc. I’m just going by the study that’s linked in the post (here it is again: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1360273/) that discusses some of tea tree oil’s antimicrobial and antiseptic properties. Just that information alone is enough to make me feel comfortable using it. And, I really have no idea how much it is per ounce – like no clue, lol π If we converted all the measurements to ounces that would be a start though…
And of course, you’re more than welcome to share anything you find here on the site. As long as my images aren’t altered and you include a link back to the post, it’s all fair game π
most witchhazel products contain % alcohol
Thanks for the link, Lacie. There’s so much conflicting information out there that its hard for a blogger to safely recommend one thing or another without fear of sharing incorrect and possibly harmful information. Personally, I love lavender and use it in my son’s products all the time, but felt the need to clarify the info that’s out there, just in case.
Anyways, thanks again for the link. I’ll add it to the notes as well so other readers can see it and decide for themselves. π
Just wondering if this recipe would work if I was to substitute the aloe vera gel with a lotion, like Aveeno baby fragrance free? I have a bunch I never used and thought it might work as far as consistency and to keep hands soft.
Olivia, I’m not sure that would work. Aloe vera is an integral part of this recipe and really can’t be substituted with a lotion. It just wouldn’t have the same effects and the texture would be way off. It’s best to just use 100% aloe vera gel.
What a great idea! We don’t use a lot of hand sanitizer, but sometimes we do when we are out. This would be a much better alternative!
It really is great, Heather, and actually feels like the real thing! I love when that happens. π