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DIY your own hand sanitizer during quarantine

DIY your own hand sanitizer during quarantine
DIY hand sanitizers are quite easy to make but they are equally hazardous too.

Haven't stocked up on sanitizers? Don't worry, keep COVID-19 at bay by making your own sanitizer at home. Read on to know how

Written by Sanyukta Baijal |Published : March 28, 2020 5:56 PM IST

The onslaught of coronavirus doesn't seem to slow down anytime soon. The death toll of this almost unstoppable virus is increasing alarmingly all over the world. What is more unfortunate is, there is no drug or vaccine available yet to safeguard us against COVID-19. The best we can do is take precautionary measures. The most crucial protection is handwash, since the virus sneaks into our system through our mouth and nose, via our hands. Apart from rinsing with soap and water, there's another way of keeping your hands clean: Using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. However, they started vanishing form the market long back and with a complete lockdown now, the condition is even worse. But this shouldn't come in the way of keeping your hands clean. You can make your own hand sanitizer at home. We tell you how.

Things you need

  • 3/4th cup of Isopropyl or rubbing alcohol with almost 99% alcohol value.
  • 1/4th cup of Aloe vera gel to maintain your hands' smoothness.
  • 10 drops of essential oil, like tea tree or lavender oil (You may also use lemon juice in case you don't have the oil).

How to make it?

  • Put all the three ingredients into a glass container like vessel (You can also use a bowl).
  • Mix it well using a spoon
  • Now beat it with a whisk until it takes a gel-like form.
  • Finally pour the sanitizer into an empty bottle for daily use

How safe is it?

DIY hand sanitizers are quite easy to make but they are equally hazardous too. Lack of efficiency in the homemade sanitizers may not be able to eliminate the risk of exposure and it may also cause skin irritation, rashes etc. Therefore, it is suggested that you strictly stick to the proper proportions of the ingredients mentioned above.

How to use hand sanitizer

  • Put sanitizer in one hand.
  • Rub both your hands together.
  • Make sure you rub it properly even on the back of your hands and on your fingers.
  • Rub for almost 20 to 30 seconds until the sanitizer dries off. (Sometimes it may take longer, about 60 seconds, for a sanitizer to kill germs)

How effective is it?

Even though sanitizer may kill a lot of germs but it's hard to say whether it is effective or not. For example, if your hands are greasy or slimy, try washing your hands with soap and water instead of using sanitizer because it may not work well or may be totally ineffective.

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