12 Best DIY Hand Sanitizer Recipes

Fact checked by Jillian DaraReviewed by Rhea Mehta

These best hand sanitizer recipes will show you how easy it is to make hand sanitizer gel and spray. It's a quick DIY project that uses just a few ingredients to make a great smelling and feeling hand sanitizer. You'll also be able to make it for a fraction of the price of ones you'd buy at the store and add to your collection of natural cleaners.

The key ingredient in all these DIY hand sanitizer recipes that makes them work is alcohol. To be effective, the alcohol content needs to be at least 60 percent ethanol or 70 percent isopropyl alcohol in the product you use. That means that many ingredients you see to make hand sanitizers, such as witch hazel or low alcohol content products, will not be effective.

Besides the alcohol, there's also usually an ingredient to make it a gel or spray consistency so it's easier to use. Then you might see extra ingredients used to add some moisture to your hands and make it smell good. Since these other ingredients will dilute the alcohol content, make sure that the final product itself is at least 60 percent ethanol or 70 percent isopropyl alcohol, which, depending on the proportions of ingredients you use, may require using a higher proof alcohol.

Tips

Washing your hands with soap and water is always the best way to get clean. These hand sanitizers are for when you can't get to a sink.

How to Make Homemade Hand Sanitizer: Learn the basics of making hand sanitizer in this easy to follow tutorial. It gives a great run through on what types of alcohol can be used in whatever type of hand sanitizer you're using.

Two-Ingredient Gel Hand Sanitizer

It doesn't get much easier than this DIY recipe from Shimp Salad Circus. With just two ingredients, you can make a DIY gel hand sanitizer that you can keep everywhere. There are also some labeling ideas here so you can avoid any mix-ups.

Hand Sanitizer Spray with Essential Oils

This is a recipe for hand sanitizer spray if you'd like to use something other than a gel. It creates a moisturizing spray that feels divine and the suggested list of essential oils will make sure it smells divine too. Combine the ingredients, give it a good shake, and you have your own great-smelling hand sanitizer spray. There are free labels and recipe cards so you can hand some out to everyone you know.

Homemade Hand Sanitizer

Here's a recipe from Lia Griffith for a hand sanitizer that includes all the basic ingredients needed as well as one that will make your hands feel great. It contains aloe vera gel and a few oils to make it smell good and feel good.

Homemade Hand Sanitizer

This DIY hand sanitizer recipe uses the popular essential oil Thieves by Young Living but also gives you some alternate essential oils to use if you don't have any on hand. It's stirred up in a bowl and then put into glass bottles for easy use. You can use it yourself or even give it as a gift to friends and family.

Homemade Citrus Mint Hand Sanitizer Spray

Hearth and Vine has another DIY recipe for hand sanitizer spray and this one has a lovely citrus mint scent to it. Also included is a printable label for your spray.

Lavender Hand Sanitizing Spray

Enjoy the relaxing smell of lavender when you use this hand-sanitizing spray that will keep your skin soft. If you don't enjoy the lavender scent, there are some other recommendations here for which scents smell nice.

Hand Sanitizing Wipes

You can have the convenience of using wipes for a hand sanitizer while still being able to make it yourself with this DIY from Smart School House. Besides the recipe, there's also a video to help you along each step of the way of making it.

Easy DIY Hand Sanitizer for Winter

This hand sanitizer can be used any time of the year, but the combination of a few different essential oils makes it smell wintery.

Homemade Hand Sanitizer with Simple Ingredients

This DIY hand sanitizer recipe has only two key ingredients that you probably already have at home. It makes an unscented gel but also has suggestions on which essential oils and how much of them to add if you'd like some scent.

Hand Sanitizer Spray

With just 3 simple ingredients, you'll be able to whip up this great smelling spray from Little House Living in no time.

DIY Disinfecting Wipes

These DIY disinfecting wipes are great for using on your hands but you can also use them as a cleaner on household surfaces. A mix of essential oils will keep you coming back again and again to this recipe.

How to Make Hand Sanitizer

This recipe has all the right ingredients as well as Young Thieves essential oil mixed along with a few other oils to make it smell clean and fresh.