Hand Sanitizer Spray with essential oils

Germs are everywhere, and while hand washing is best, sometimes you just can’t get to a sink.

So I keep these little essential-oil hand sanitizers everywhere– in my purse, in my desk, glove compartment, picnic basket, school bag, gym bag, …

They are super simple to make.

Add just a few ingredients, give it a shake, and you’re done.

Once you get the hang of the basic recipe, you probably won’t even need to measure.

Just whip up a new batch anytime you need it.

So fast & easy!

Be sure to click here get your free printable hand sanitizer labels and recipe cards.  Feel free to use these printables yourself, share them with your team, or use them as handouts for a make & take class.  Printable has three pages, so that you can print exactly what you need.

• 1st page –  1 bottle label & 1 recipe card (print this page if you just want to make a hand sanitizer for yourself)
• 2nd page – 15 hand sanitizer labels (print this page if you want to share labels at a Make & Take class)
• 3rd page – 4 hand sanitizer recipe cards (print as many copies of this page as you need for a Make & Take class)
• 4th page- chart of best essential oils for hand sanitizers

What’s in this DIY Hand Sanitizer?

carrier oil (such as fractionated coconut oil, sweet almond oil, or jojoba oil)- both a moisturizer to counterbalance the drying effect of the witch hazel and a way to safely dilute essential oils

aloe vera gel– Aloe forms the base of this homemade hand sanitizer gel.  Be sure to use real, natural aloe vera gel (like this).  Did you know that a product labeled “aloe vera 100% gel” is often not pure aloe vera?  This misleading labeling is very common.  While it seems at first glance that it would be pure aloe vera gel, what it actually means is that it is “100% gel” with at least some aloe vera in it.  Tricky, huh?  And worse yet, those products with misleading labeling are often filled with ingredients like polysorbate-20, triethanolamine, carbomer, iodopropynol butylcarbanate, benzophenone-4, fragrance and artificial colors.

essential oils (see below for a list of recommended oils)- antibacterial, antiviral, antimicrobial and antiseptic properties

vitamin e– moisturizer and also helps to slow down rancidity

glycerin– helps disperse essential oils throughout the alcohol, moisturizes skin, and forms a protective layer

alcohol– this is the key ingredient that disinfects and sanitizes.  According to the CDC, you want the finished hand sanitizer to have at least 60% alcohol so that it is effective at disinfecting, sanitizing, and killing viruses and other germs.

What Are the Best Essential Oils for Hand Sanitizers?

tea tree– antifugal, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antiviral, and antibacterial

lavender– antiseptic, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial

geranium– antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antiseptic

lemon*– antimicrobial, antiseptic, antiviral, and antifungal

sweet or wild orange– antiseptic, antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial

eucalyptus– antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiseptic, and antimicrobial

rosemary– antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial

cinnamon– antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antimicrobial, and antiseptic

clove– antiviral, antiseptic, antibacterial, and antifungal

thyme– antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antimicrobial, and antiseptic

peppermint– antiseptic, antibacterial, and antiviral

* Use caution when using lemon essential oil in hand sanitizer.  Cold-pressed lemon essential oil can cause a phototoxic skin reaction when used topically and skin is exposed to the sun.  Robert Tisserand’s book Essential Oil Safety states that cold-pressed lemon essential oil should be diluted at a rate less than 12 drops lemon essential oil to 1 ounce of carrier oil.  So in this recipe no more than 2-3 drops of lemon essential oil should be used given the 1 teaspoon of carrier oil and 1/2 teaspoon glycerin.

click here for a free printable of this chart of best essential oils for hand sanitizers

How to Make Hand Sanitizer Spray

step 1:   start with a 2 ounce spray bottle

step 2:  add 1/2 teaspoon carrier oil such as, fractionated coconut oil, sweet almond oil, or jojoba oil

step 3:  add 2 teaspoons aloe vera gel

Aloe vera gel will moisturize and condition your hands.  Don’t skip this.

step 4: add 10-12 drops of essential oil (see below for suggested essential oil combinations)

EO blend 1–> 4 drops tea tree + 4 drops lavender + 2 drops lemon

EO blend 2–> 4 drops eucalyptus + 3 drops rosemary + 5 drops lavender

EO blend 3–> 2 drops cinnamon + 2 drops clove + 2 drops lemon + 2 drops eucalyptus + 2 drops rosemary + 2 drops orange

step 4:  add 2-3 drops vitamin e

step 5:  add 1/2 teaspoon glycerin

step 6:  fill the bottle most of the way full with alcohol.  This will be about 3 tablespoons of alcohol. 

note: make sure to leave a little room for the spray top.

You can use either ethanol (that’s what in the alcohol that you drink) or isopropyl alcohol (that’s what’s commonly called rubbing alcohol).  Both ethanol and isopropyl alcohol are effective disinfectants.

Here are just some of the alcohols that you can use to in this homemade hand sanitizer to properly kill viruses and other germs:

1. 80%+ ethanol products — Look for 160 proof or higher drinkable grain alcohols.  You’ll find these in the grain-alcohol (ie vodka) section of your local liquor store.
   • Everclear (190 proof, 92.4% ethanol)
   • Spirytus vodka (note: While most vodka sold in the United States is only 80 proof or 40% alcohol, Spirytus vodka is 192 proof, 96% alcohol.  When using vodka in this homemade “Lysol” disinfecting spray make sure that you choose a vodka that is at least 140 proof)
   • Golden Grain (190 proof, 95% alcohol)

1.  isopropyl alcohol – You’ll find these in the pharmaceutical section of your local Walmart, Target, or drug store.  Look for bottles labeled isopropyl alcohol, also called rubbing alcohol.
   • 91% rubbing alcohol
   • 99% rubbing alcohol
   • note: rubbing alcohol is also sold at a 70% concentration, but don’t use that one.  You want the final hand sanitizer to be at least 60% alcohol.  And since you’re adding about 25% of other ingredients (oil, aloe vera, glycerin, essential oils), you need to use a 91% or 99% rubbing alcohol to ensure that you end up with at least 60% of the finished hand sanitizer being alcohol.

step 7:  put on spray top

step 8:  shake to mix

step 9: print out free labels ( get them here)

step 10: cut out label

step 11: put label face down on packing tape

step 12:  adhere label to bottle

Here’s the Hand Sanitizer Recipe One More Time

( get free printable of recipe cards here)

to a 2 ounce spray bottle…

add 1/2 teaspoon carrier oil such as, fractionated coconut oil, sweet almond oil, or jojoba oil

add 2 teaspoons aloe vera gel

add 10-12 drops of essential oil (see below for suggested essential oil combinations)

EO blend 1–> 4 drops tea tree + 4 drops lavender + 2 drops lemon

EO blend 2–> 4 drops eucalyptus + 3 drops rosemary + 5 drops lavender

EO blend 3–> 2 drops cinnamon + 2 drops clove + 2 drops lemon + 2 drops eucalyptus + 2 drops rosemary + 2 drops orange

add 2-3 drops vitamin e

add 1/2 teaspoon glycerin

fill the bottle most of the way full with 91% rubbing alcohol or 160+ proof grain alcohol (make sure to leave a little room for the spray top)

put on spray top and shake to mix

Where to get supplies?

2 oz spray bottle

• click here or here for essential-oil-safe plastic spray bottles
• click here for glass spray bottles

carrier oil (choose one)

• click here for fractionated coconut oil
• click here for sweet almond oil
• click here for jojoba oil

aloe vera gel– This is the kind I buy.  I especially love it for this hand sanitizer, because unlike some other aloe vera gels, it’s not sticky.  It’s 99.75% certified organic aloe vera.  The other .25% is made up of just a few natural ingredients: seaweed extract (natural thickener), citric acid (to stabilize ph), ascorbic acid (vitamin c), and potassium sorbate (to prevent mold).

click here for vitamin e

click here or here for glycerin 

91% or 99% rubbing alcohol can be found in the pharmaceutical section of Walmart, Target, or drug stores.  You’ll find Everclear, Golden Grain, and Spirytus vodka in the grain-alcohol (ie vodka) section of your local liquor store.

click here for free printable labels and recipe cards

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Please note: Products mentioned in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products and information on this page are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This website is not a substitute for professional care.  Always consult your medical doctor regarding your medical care. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

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