A recent research article in 2020, shows that adding orange peel essential oil makes sanitizer more favorable to over 77% of users.
WHO or any other organization recommends 60-70% alcohol for any sanitizer. So these will be key ingredients in any hand sanitizer recipe. You can also try with non-alcoholic sanitizers, which contains ammonium compounds. But these are not as effective as alcoholic solutions. However, alcoholic sanitizers are not easy on the skin and can leave it dry and damaged from prolonged use. The idea behind sanitizers is to use it when you don’t have an option for washing your hands with soap.
Still, whatever method you choose in times like these with Covid 19 pandemic, your skin will suffer damage due to excess cleaning and sanitizing. Thankfully, you can take simple steps to make sure your skin remains healthy and moisturized. My regular readers are aware that I am a strong proponent of essential oils. They are natural and very effective in some cases. I am listing some recipes for sanitizers along with the best essential oils that you can use in them.
Base solution
To keep your skin moisturize, you can add either glycerin or Aloe Vera gel to your solution. You can also mix a little quantity of oil but it doesn’t dissolve in this solution, so you need to shake the bottle every time you will use this. We can have two types of base solution, first will be more liquid whereas second will be thicker. It is as per your preference, which one you wish to choose. Both of the solutions will be effective.
- Liquid: Take 65 ML of Alcohol like Isopropyl alcohol or Ethyl Alcohol, mix 10 Grams of Glycerine or Aloe Vera gel in 15 ML of distilled water, and mix it thoroughly.
- Thick: Take 65 ML of Alcohol like Isopropyl alcohol or Ethyl Alcohol, mix 35 Grams of Glycerine or Aloe Vera gel and mix it thoroughly.
This will act as your base solution. It is good sanitizer without anything further, but it will not have a pleasant experience without Essential oils.
You can use following Essential Oils in Sanitizers:
- Geranium: Add 10 Drops in the above solution to give it a soothing aroma. This essential oil will also enhance the moisturizing effect of solution.
- Lavender & Tea Tree: Add 6 drops of Lavender and 4 drops of Tea Tree to have a great aroma along with long-lasting anti-microbe effect. If you are using this recipe, you can increase Glycerin or Gel in the above solution to further 10 ML.
- Lemongrass: Add 10 Drops in base solution. Use this recipe if you are stepping out. It will also keep bugs and mosquitos away from you, at the same time keep a refreshing aroma.
Sanitizer Spray with Room Freshener
This is a very handy recipe for keeping your house clean and protected from viruses like Corona and others. Even after washing our hands, a lot of objects can come under contact with viruses, like our keys, phone, or bags. It is a good practice to spray this sanitizer solution and wipe them with a clean cloth. This will keep them disinfected.
To make this spray, add 55 ML of Alcohol in 45 ML of Vinegar and shake them properly to mix. Add 10 drops of Tea Tree oil and 5 drops of Geranium Oil. Again, mix the solution and pour it in a spray bottle to use and store for the future. A word of caution, avoid granite surfaces due to vinegar.
Sanitizing Kitchen
Many of you have asked me, how to clean and sanitize the kitchen as they are confused if sanitizer is safe to use in such an environment. Do remember, alcohol is highly inflammable, so always keep it away from heat and fire. As a good practice, always wash your eatables properly in water and leave them in water for at least 2-3 hours before using. You can also use vinegar to clean surfaces and utensils, where you can’t use soap.
So that’s from my side today. Follow guidelines by WHO and your Government. Stay safe and healthy.
