Making our own hand sanitizer
Hand sanitizer, together with toilet paper and pasta, is on the top of panic buyers’ list and hence a rare commodity in these dark times. But don’t worry, unlike the other items, it is easy to make at home.
You can beat the living daylight out of this large and obnoxious coronavirus family – from the latest CoVid-19 to its awful cousins MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV, all happily squatting metal, glass and plastic surfaces for up to 9 days. Twenty studies agree that the number one weapon of massive destruction, effective in just a minute, is “a mixture of ethanol and hydrogen peroxide”.
The WHO confirm in their online recipe for hydroalcoholic gel, the lethal virucidal virtues of ethanol or isopropanol. They associate it with hydrogen peroxide to eradicate bacterial spores in the alcohol and the bottles and glycerol to prevent drying of the skin.The good news is that you probably already have these goodies in your cupboards. Ethanol, aka surgical spirit 96% (or rubbing alcohol 99.9%), bought at the chemist’s together with hydrogen peroxide and glycerol, aka glycerine. You can replace glycerine by aloe vera gel.
To concoct a classy hydroalcoholic gel, you need 2/3 surgical spirit and 1/3 aloe vera. In a beautiful bowl, pour 300 ml surgical spirit, add 1 tablespoon hydrogen peroxide solution 3% and mix with a metal spoon. Add 100 ml aloe vera and mix thoroughly. You can add 10 drops of your favourite essential oil to mask the scent of alcohol. Don’t forget to test it for allergies by rubbing a few drops into your elbow. Then, with a firm hand, place a magnificent funnel into an empty hand sanitizer bottle and proudly pour some of the mixture into it. Close it tightly and repeat the process with other bottles. Don’t forget labels in late gothic script stating the liquid’s identity. Wait 3 days before use, so that the hydrogen peroxide can act.
Don’t use this gel if you can wash your hands with soap and water.
Don’t use this gel on wet, greasy or dirty hands.
Don’t skimp on sanitizer. For it to work, you need to cover both hands and fingers entirely and past your wrists. Rub vigorously for 3 minutes or until your hands are dry.
