# Hand Sanitizer



## Mobjack Bay (Mar 3, 2020)

@Susie and others - can you share your thoughts on how DIY hand sanitizer works, per this thread or others I may not have located:

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/does-anyone-make-hand-sanitizer.60564/

There is no hand sanitizer to be found in my area.  I looked at the ingredient list on the container of hand sanitizer I have in my car and it’s 70% ethanol with some glycerin and a few other things.  In the thread I linked above, the first recipe uses aloe vera gel and 91% isopropanol, which sounds very easy.


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## shunt2011 (Mar 3, 2020)

On the physician on the news a short while ago said to mix 30% Aloe Vera Gel and 70% Alcohol 91%    They said you could also use everclear or 151 liquor.


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## Mobjack Bay (Mar 3, 2020)

shunt2011 said:


> On the physician on the news a short while ago said to mix 30% Aloe Vera Gel and 70% Alcohol 91%    They said you could also use everclear or 151 liquor.


I guess I’m going back to the store again tomorrow.  I used up all the aloe vera gel I had in the house making soap!


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## cmzaha (Mar 3, 2020)

I buy the Base from Essentials by Catalina which is an aloe and alcohol-based no soap hand cleanser.  https://essentialsbycatalina.com/rinse-free-hand-wash-base


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## dibbles (Mar 3, 2020)

cmzaha said:


> I buy the Base from Essentials by Catalina which is an aloe and alcohol-based no soap hand cleanser.  https://essentialsbycatalina.com/rinse-free-hand-wash-base


Or if you don't want a whole gallon: https://www.elementsbathandbody.com/Hand-Sanitizer-Gel-Base.html 
The ingredients are the same. Aren't these the same company - one for larger size quantities and one more hobbyist friendly?


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## cmzaha (Mar 3, 2020)

No, they are not the same company, although it is possible EBC is the supplier.


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## dibbles (Mar 3, 2020)

cmzaha said:


> No, they are not the same company, although it is possible EBC is the supplier.


I always wondered. I've used products from both, and like them. I think EBC may supply some of the products for EBB. There are a few that are the same.


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## SeaSuds (Mar 4, 2020)

Thank you for posting this, the shelves are empty of hand gel here too


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## DeeAnna (Mar 4, 2020)

After doing some more research about what works and what doesn't, I wrote up an article that summarizes what I learned about making effective DIY hand sanitizer -- https://classicbells.com/soap/sanitizer.asp


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## atiz (Mar 4, 2020)

Thank you @DeeAnna, this is super helpful.

I'm out of aloe juice at the moment. Do you think a 1% hyaluronic acid solution would work as a second ingredient? I usually quite like its consistency and how it behaves, and I somehow happen to have a ton of it, but not sure it is friendly with alcohol.

[Edit: took 3 tries to spell HA correctly.... oh well.]


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## DeeAnna (Mar 4, 2020)

I don't know, @atiz. I've never worked with ... uh, yeah, however ya spell it. That stuff.  

A quick google check suggests HA is highly soluble in alcohol, so it looks like it would mix up okay. I'd probably try a small test batch just to see.


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## cleosmom (Mar 4, 2020)

Here's an excellent article with links to recipes for hand sanitizer: https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/2/2...iy-how-to-hand-wash-cdc-alcohol-virus-illness


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## Susie (Mar 6, 2020)

Thank you DeeAnna and others!  The only thing I have to add is that most hospital based hand sanitizers are more typically 70-80% alcohol/volume.  I feel much more comfortable with that percentage than the lower 60% advocated by all the sites.  It may not be absolutely necessary, but in this instance, I would feel much more comfortable with a higher percentage.  But thank you all for the links for the base for the sanitizers!  You can use glycerin in a pinch if need be, but it is runnier.

Thank you for the link, Carolyn, I ordered a gallon.  Hopefully before they sold out.  $60 with shipping, but I can make and send some to my kids and family.  Goes without saying that they are worth it.


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## shunt2011 (Mar 6, 2020)

I too ordered a gallon.   Better safe than sorry.   Especially since it seems to be in the beginning stages here.   I'll share with friends and relatives.


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## DeeAnna (Mar 6, 2020)

I agree there's nothing wrong with going higher with the alcohol content. I think that has been shown to kill a higher % of microbes than the 60% alcohol mixtures from what I recall from the CDC info (speaking from memory here). A higher alcohol content also builds in a safety margin to allow for some evaporation.

Safety tip -- Remember hand sanitizer is flammable! Use care in the kitchen or around sources of spark or flame. 

Chefs flambe foods using 40% ABV alcohol. As we've been discussing, sanitizer is 60% or higher.


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## Susie (Mar 6, 2020)

Someone, please help on math as my brain is mush after the heart surgery.

I have 91% ABV.  I want 70% ABV in the hand gel.  I am planning on making 16 oz to start.

Alcohol:  70/91 x 100=76.9
Non-alcohol:  100-77=23

So, if I am making 500 ml, I need:

77 x 5=385 gm 91% ABV
23 x 5=115 gm aloe vera gel (which I found 7 unopened bottles of on the dusty soap cart)

If this isn't correct, I blame only myself, as my brain isn't functioning at 100% anymore, and I sucked in math before that.

ETA:  If you want to do this using commercial aloe vera gel (purchased at a major retailer), the thickener will become gum on your equipment.  So, I ended up with a cloudy liquid.  Good for spray bottle, but not a gel by any stretch of the imagination. (Don't be like Susie)


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## atiz (Mar 6, 2020)

Susie said:


> Someone, please help on math as my brain is mush after the heart surgery.
> 
> I have 91% ABV.  I want 70% ABV in the hand gel.  I am planning on making 16 oz to start.
> 
> ...



This seems good to me.
(Although I tend to do the calculation backwards, but it makes no difference, just easier for me: you need 500ml of 70% alcohol, that means you want 500 x 0.7 = 350 ml total alcohol in your batch. To have 350 ml alcohol, you need (350 x 100)/91 of the 91% alcohol you have, which is about 384.6 ml.)

Also, I hope you get better soon! Saw your post in the other thread, sorry to hear about everything.


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## Susie (Mar 6, 2020)

Thank you!  I did just round numbers up to the nearest whole number as it was too close not to.  Many thanks to DeeAnna, who gives marvelous instructions that even I can follow.


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## cj (Mar 6, 2020)

Susie said:


> Someone, please help on math as my brain is mush after the heart surgery.
> 
> I have 91% ABV.  I want 70% ABV in the hand gel.  I am planning on making 16 oz to start.
> 
> ...




YES! HELP! This happened with my formula. Using 100% organic aloe, which is not a gel, but liquid with 91% isopropyl alcohol. When I mixed it, the aloe congealed, in an pulpy way and "hung" floating inside the alcohol in globby chunks. - any intel on how I can get it to gel and not clump up?


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## Obsidian (Mar 6, 2020)

Anyone have luck actually making sanitizer? I just tried a batch 1 cup 91% rubbing alcohol to 1/2 cup aloe gel. It wouldn't mix, had to put it in a big bottle and shake the heck out if it.
The final product was water thin and so strong alchohol smelling, I don't think any amount of EO would cover it.
I ended up dumping it all. Might as well put straight alchohol in a spray bottle.


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## Kcryss (Mar 6, 2020)

I wonder if you can emulsify oil in alcohol? I assume the aloe is to make it a bit more skin friendly. If that isn't working well maybe a little shea or almond oil emulsified with ewax or an ecomulse type product would help? Never tried and not really finding a lot online about it either.


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## lenarenee (Mar 6, 2020)

Susie said:


> Thank you DeeAnna and others!  The only thing I have to add is that most hospital based hand sanitizers are more typically 70-80% alcohol/volume.  I feel much more comfortable with that percentage than the lower 60% advocated by all the sites.  It may not be absolutely necessary, but in this instance, I would feel much more comfortable with a higher percentage.  But thank you all for the links for the base for the sanitizers!  You can use glycerin in a pinch if need be, but it is runnier.
> 
> Thank you for the link, Carolyn, I ordered a gallon.  Hopefully before they sold out.  $60 with shipping, but I can make and send some to my kids and family.  Goes without saying that they are worth it.



I called Essentials by Catalina.  Their product is lower than 70% alcohol. They won't say how much because its propietary.


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## Obsidian (Mar 6, 2020)

lenarenee said:


> I called Essentials by Catalina.  Their product is lower than 70% alcohol. They won't say how much because its propietary.



Thats really shady of them, especially at this time. I'm really glad I didn't buy a gallon, came really close.


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## Mobjack Bay (Mar 6, 2020)

@DeeAnna - as far as I can tell from reading various sources, the 60% alcohol minimum for a hand sanitizer is based on volume measurement, not weight.  Do you agree?  In a bit of a rush yesterday (and my soaping habits kicked in), I did my calculation for a 60% isopropyl alcohol and aloe vera mixture by weight.  The density of 100% IPA is lower than water (at 25 C, 0.78 g/cm3 for IPA vs. 1.0 g/cm3 for distilled water).  I didn’t try to find or calculate the density of 91% IPA, which would also be less than water. As a result, the alcohol is a higher percentage of my mixture by volume than it is by weight, right?  Mostly I just want to confirm that the measurements are based on volume.

ETA: Getting pure aloe gel in my semi-rural county is not an immediate option.  Here’s what I used.  My mixture is thin and smells like isopropyl alcohol.  I had a little bit of trouble mixing it, but smoothed it out with my frother/mini-blender.  I had no complaints from a test group of about a dozen graduate students and others who gave it a try at a school social event last night.


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## atiz (Mar 6, 2020)

Well, I ended up finding a couple of bottles of old hand sanitizer so didn't end up making one. But I'll probably do one tomorrow anyway just to try, and will report back on how it mixes with HA solution.

@Mobjack Bay, I think you're right, calculating by weight instead of volume should give you a higher percentage in volume. (Oh those poor grad students ;/)


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## Mobjack Bay (Mar 6, 2020)

Thanks @atiz.  Ha ha they all just smiled and went along with it .  Plus, the color is a hit.


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## lenarenee (Mar 7, 2020)

Obsidian said:


> Thats really shady of them, especially at this time. I'm really glad I didn't buy a gallon, came really close.



It took 2 phones calls and and e-amail.com to get the information; I finally had to rephrase my question so I wouldn't get the rehearsed "proprietary" response. I finally posed it as such, "The CDC recommends an ethyl alcohol sanitizer with a strength of 70% or more; does your product qualify for that". Answer was no.


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## yatyat (Mar 7, 2020)

on their PDF data sheet for the sanitizer, it lists alcohol content as 50-70%.  Still not a definitely percentage but at least we know it's less than 70 ....


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## lenarenee (Mar 7, 2020)

I wonder if it's possible to add some 150+ proof alcohol to their base...?  Although....we won't know how much it will take to make a minimum of 70%.
I have one tiny bottle of 70% in the car, and one on our 12 year old's backpack.  Heck....I wanted it just to help combat this month long virus everyone at her school is getting; ends up a little like mononucleosis and just drags on with the fatigue.


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## yatyat (Mar 7, 2020)

I suppose you could assume they use the lowest % (50%) and then work backwards to figure out how much to add.  Alcohol may be on the higher side which will be more effective for sanitizing but posibbly more drying, maybe keep a hand cream/lotion nearby to use afterwards.


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## cmzaha (Mar 7, 2020)

lenarenee said:


> I called Essentials by Catalina.  Their product is lower than 70% alcohol. They won't say how much because its propietary.






Obsidian said:


> Thats really shady of them, especially at this time. I'm really glad I didn't buy
> a gallon, came really close.


But it is not sold as sanitizer and it is mentioned that they do not have the necessary certification for labeling as sanitizer. I only mentioned it is what I buy and use. Alcohol is 50 - 70 % according to their documentation. I will also mention I cannot use 70% alcohol on my hands and this one burns them up.


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## Susie (Mar 8, 2020)

I plan to use some 91% to bring it up to at least 70% when I get it.  I bought a box (six) a while back when a store was going out of business.  At the time, I was making lots of lip balm and such and used a lot in the sprayer disinfecting equipment and tubes.  So, I have a couple of bottles left.


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## Zahara (Mar 8, 2020)

I made so many hand sanitizer for my cusyomers and it was so good and effective
Alcohol 96% ethanol
Aloe vera gel
Tea tree oil 
Glycerin
Lavender essential oil

I made so many hand sanitizer for my cusyomers and it was so good and effective
Alcohol 96% ethanol
Aloe vera gel
Tea tree oil 
Glycerin
Lavender essential oil


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## atiz (Mar 8, 2020)

Zahara said:


> I made so many hand sanitizer for my cusyomers and it was so good and effective
> Alcohol 96% ethanol
> Aloe vera gel
> Tea tree oil
> ...


These look really pretty! 
I need to get on this handsanitizer project....

Well, I did make some finally, so just for the record, if anyone is looking for how to use up their hyaluronic acid.... 
Not very precise because I was lazy... but about 80% of 91% isopropyl alcohol, and the rest is a 1% HA solution and a few drops of lemon EO. This stuff is great, highly recommend if you have some HA lying around. The consistency is pretty liquidy as is, but it does not dry my hand *at all*, it actually feels nice. 
I don't have any HA powder lying around any more, but if I had some, I would probably try it in higher concentration just to see if it helps with the consistency.


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## DeeAnna (Mar 8, 2020)

Hi, @Mobjack Bay and all -- Yes, you are right -- the measurements should be by volume, not by weight. The percent alcohol by volume (ABV) will be quite a bit higher if you measure by weight than if you measure by volume. Better to have more alcohol than less, but the info needs to be accurate.

I overlooked this important point, and I will update my Soapy Stuff article and update the info I gave earlier in this thread. Thanks, Mobjack, for bringing it to my attention!

I haven't made the sanitizer, so I also appreciate the information about the aloe and alcohol not mixing well. That's one of those little but important things that the craft bloggers conveniently overlook in their desire to make everything effortless to make and beautiful to look at.


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## sirtim100 (Mar 8, 2020)

Zahara said:


> I made so many hand sanitizer for my cusyomers and it was so good and effective
> Alcohol 96% ethanol
> Aloe vera gel
> Tea tree oil
> ...



@Zahara , could you give the percentages of the ingredients, please?

Many thanks


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## DeeAnna (Mar 8, 2020)

I would not get too eager to start tweaking a sanitizer recipe by adding oils and emulsifiers. 

The CDC article (https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/show-me-the-science-hand-sanitizer.html) makes a strong point of saying a hand sanitizer is not effective on dirty OR greasy hands. 

Although I realize the author of the article is thinking about grease/fats/oils that gets on hands from everyday life, not fats intentionally added to the sanitizer, I am reasonably certain it doesn't matter where the fats come from. Fats occlude (coat) the skin and repel water-soluble ingredients, including alcohols. This oil coating can shield microbes on the skin from the effects of alcohol. 

I have not seen any information _proving _an oil-based or emulsified product is an effective sanitizer, and that is probably why there's a dearth of reputable information on formulations like this. 

I'd stick with what has been proven to work -- a water based product with 60% or more alcohol by volume. 

A water-based soothing ingredient such as glycerin could be added to the sanitizer. And if needed, use lotion after sanitizing.


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## cmzaha (Mar 8, 2020)

I just found the label fro EBC that came with the Hand Wash when it was sold as Sanitizer and the alcohol content is 62%, and the label is identical with the ingredient list on the product listed as Hand Wash. At one time it was sold as Hand Sanitizer and was manufactured for many of the large hotel chains. So I do apologize if I mislead anyone, but I am still not the least bit afraid of this product. Apparently this was before the facility had to be certified for OTC manufacturing. 

Also, from what I am reading on the CDC site under Corona Virus is Sanitizer with at least 60%  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html

I will also add I do not make or sell sanitizer because I do not want someone who gets sick to come back and say my sanitizer did not work and try to sue me.


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## KatiesDiddies (Mar 11, 2020)

I'm so excited I can FINALLY contribute some vetted/science info to this community. Preface: I'm not a medical expert, but I have discussed this extensively with both an epidemiologist and with a General Practitioner.
-CoronaVirus is an enveloped virus, meaning it has a gooey-slimey outer coating...an "envelope".
-60-70% total alcohol content is recomended to disinfect. This concentration allows water to permeate the "envelope" and deliver the alcohol inside to kill the cells. 
-higher alcohol content (ie as low as 90%) actually hardens the gooey "envelope"...creating a "shell" that makes the virus harder to kill. 

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195670120300463

I'm am so greatful to the soapmakingforum.  I have a few other medical papers that were published following the Wuhan response that I will link asap.


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## Misschief (Mar 11, 2020)

Another member of SMF posted a link to an article about hand sanitizers on her FB feed. In the comments was a link to a document from the WHO, a Guide to Local Production of WHO Recommended Handrub Formulations. 

https://www.who.int/gpsc/5may/Guide...Y76irrzsQpw-sAvDNYCCoVJM2eWbyMj0hGfXhYWsacjCA

Following their guidelines, I made some for myself using the following percentages:
83%    Ethanol (Ethyl Alcohol or Denatured Alcohol)
4.25% Hydrogen Peroxide
1.75%  Glycerin (calls for Glycerol)
11%     Distilled Water

I made one cup of the sanitizer; it isn't a gel, it looks like water and the article recommends the addition of colorant so it isn't accidentally ingested. I chose not to add colour as it will be in my purse and I'll be the one using it. I have no intention of making it for sale.


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## Kcryss (Mar 11, 2020)

KatiesDiddies said:


> I'm so excited I can FINALLY contribute some vetted/science info to this community.
> -CoronaVirus is an enveloped virus, meaning it has a gooey-slimey outer coating...an "envelope".
> -60-70% total alcohol content is recomended to disinfect. This concentration allows water to permeate the "envelope" and deliver the alcohol inside to kill the cells.
> -higher alcohol content (ie as low as 90%) actually hardens the gooey "envelope"...creating a "shell" that makes the virus harder to kill.
> ...



Great info @KatiesDiddies! Thanks for sharing!


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## DeeAnna (Mar 11, 2020)

My Post #8 (which has now been deleted -- SeaSuds post is now the new Post #8) is not strictly correct. Here is a corrected version --

The key to an effective hand sanitizer is keeping the % alcohol in the mixture at no less than 60% by volume AND using the sanitizer correctly. Learn more -- https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/show-me-the-science-hand-sanitizer.html

40% ABV ... 80 proof (typical vodka) ... Not effective as hand sanitizer

50% ABV ... 100 proof ... Not effective as hand sanitizer

60% ABV ... 120 proof ... Use full strength

75.5% ABV ... 151 proof (one type of Everclear, grain alcohol) ... Can be diluted 79:21 to get 60% ABV (In other words, 79 mL alcohol to 21 mL non-alcohol ingredients to make a mixture at 60% ABV)

91% ABV ... 182 proof (some isopropyl alcohol) ... Dilute 66:34 to get 60% ABV (66 mL alcohol and 34 mL non-alcohol ingredients)

94.5-95.5% ABV ... 189-191 proof  (other types of Everclear)... Dilute 63:37 to get 60% ABV (63 mL alcohol and 37 mL non-alcohol ingredients)​
If you have an alcohol that has an ABV (alcohol by volume) percentage other than what I've listed above, here's how to figure the correct dilution ratio to get a 60% alcohol content in the finished sanitizer mixture --

If you're using drinkable alcohol --

% ABV = Proof / 2​The amount of alcohol you should use to get a 60% ABV content in the sanitizer --

Alcohol content = 60 / (% ABV) X 100​How much non-alcoholic "other stuff" can be used to keep the sanitizer at 60% ABV --

Non-alcohol content = 100 - Alcohol content​
Example: Make 100 milliliters (mL) of sanitizer using 160 proof alcohol.

ABV = 160 / 2 = 80%
Alcohol content = 60 / 80 X 100 = 75
Non-alcohol content = 100 - 75 = 25

In other words, use 75 milliliters of 80% ABV alcohol and 25 milliliters of non-alcohol stuff to get a finished sanitizer with 60% ABV.​
If you want to use fluid ounces (fl oz) instead, substitute "fl oz" wherever you see "milliliters."

Read the labels on Everclear -- it comes in several proofs. The stuff sold in Iowa is 151 proof (75.5% alcohol by volume, ABV). If I drive to Wisconsin, I can buy 189-191 proof (94.5-95.5% ABV). As you can see, the amount of dilution will depend on the ABV in the alcohol you start with.

In the thread that Mobjack referenced, there's a link to a Mountain Rose blog post that calls for using 80 proof (40% ABV) vodka. The authors obviously didn't do any homework to know the alcohol content that works and what is ineffective.

What's worse, in the comments in this blog post, readers propose to use witch hazel (around 15% ABV). Or they want to get away from any alcohol at all. Doh.....

I have written an article with this sanitizer info. It's on my Soapy Stuff site. I will update and expand that article as needed. See https://classicbells.com/soap/sanitizer.asp

Regarding the WHO sanitizer formulation -- 

If you have water that is safe to drink and you are using freshly washed and sanitary equipment to make and store the sanitizer, the hydrogen peroxide isn't necessary. 

The peroxide is there to sanitize the materials and equipment, and it degrades pretty fast when it does that into oxygen gas and water. Peroxide does not function in the long term as an integral ingredient in the sanitizer. 

You certainly won't hurt anything if you use the peroxide, but if you can provide sanitary conditions (like you would use for making lotion, for example) for making and storing the sanitizer, you don't strictly need the peroxide. 

The WHO procedure explains the point of using peroxide, so check it out -- https://www.who.int/gpsc/information_centre/handrub-formulations/en/


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## IrishLass (Mar 11, 2020)

I just made an experimental 4-fluid oz batch of 71% ABV sanitizer using my 190-proof Everclear (95% ABV) and glycerin (which made the sanitizer feel pleasantly moisturizing, for what it's worth).

I decided to go with 71% ABV based on the carrier test results supplied in some of the links in this thread...... after first doing some reading on what the difference was between carrier tests and and suspension tests (also supplied in the links), since I had absolutely no idea what the difference was between the two, and it seemed it might be an important factor. From what I understand of what I read (hopefully someone "in the know" will correct me if I misunderstood), the kill/deactivating time/contact results based on the carrier tests are what I believe are needed to go by when making sanitizer to use on hands and surfaces instead of the suspension test results.

Anyway, this is the math I used. Hopefully I did it correctly:

I needed 4 fl. oz  sanitizer containing 71% total alcohol for my batch. To find out how much total alcohol needed to be present in my 4 fl. oz batch, I used this equation (based on how Atiz approaches the math): 4 x 71% (or .71) = 2.84 fl oz of total alcohol needed for my batch.

The alcohol of choice that I used to achieve this is 190-proof Everclear @ 95% ABV, so I did this next equation to make the correct conversion in regards to how much of my 95% ABV Everclear I needed to pour out: (2.84 x 100) divided by 95. This equals out to 2.98 fl. ounces of needed Everclear to pour out (which I rounded up to 3 fl. ounces).

My desired 4 fl. oz amount of total hand sanitizer minus 3 fl oz of Everclear =1 fluid ounce of some other water-based ingredient needed to complete my batch of hand sanitizer. I chose glycerin because that's an ingredient I have on hand in spades.

I sanitized all my measuring tools/implements and bottles in StarSan and poured the finished hand sanitizer out into two 2-oz bottles, which are small enough to fit inside my purse, and I also put 2 drops of a Thieve's EO blend I had on hand into each bottle, purely for scent purposes only. Then I gave it a test run on my hands. It's not thick or gel-like, but I was very happy at how moisturized my hands felt after it was all rubbed in. They smelled nice, too. I really love how the Everclear does not leave an annoying alcohol smell behind like the store-bought sanitizers. .


IrishLass


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## cmzaha (Mar 11, 2020)

I guess I just have to stay home and order from Amazon since my poor hands are a mess from my eczema. My 62% alcohol-based sanitizer is destroying them and soap and water are doing the same.


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## justjacqui (Mar 12, 2020)

I came across this video from the Institute of Personal Care Science that gives some information on creating hand sanitizers.


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## Daisy (Mar 13, 2020)

justjacqui said:


> I came across this video from the Institute of Personal Care Science that gives some information on creating hand sanitizers.




Thank you for the post


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## IrishLass (Mar 13, 2020)

justjacqui said:


> I came across this video from the Institute of Personal Care Science that gives some information on creating hand sanitizers.



Thanks for sharing! Very good (correct/safe) info in light of all the crazy misinformed Youtubers posting very bad/inadequate DIY sanitizer recipe videos past few days. It's so crazy out there that that Tito's Vodka had to make a public service announcement warning people against making hand sanitizer with their vodka because it's only got 40% ABV in it.

But yikes! If you're using the gelling agent she does in the video, you have to spend 2 hours of mixing it with a special high shear stick blender.  I think I'll just stick with my more runny sanitizer made with glycerin that takes just a few seconds to mix with the Everclear. lol


IrishLass


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## elurah (Mar 14, 2020)

Thanks for all the great information everyone. I have been using isopropyl alcohol 99% and aloe vera gel,  but I am interested in using glycerol per WHO recipes. Any recommended places to purchase glycerol? I am in the Pacific northwest.


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## Susie (Mar 14, 2020)

You can buy glycerin (commercial name of glycerol) at most drug stores.  Look in the cosmetic section on the bottom shelf.  I am not fond of the stickiness it gave the hand sanitizer I made with it.  It just sort of left a residue.  YMMV.


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## Concha (Mar 14, 2020)

If you cannot find Alcohol (there has not been in Madrid since a week or more) you can use Eau de Toilette, that is 78% alcohol mainly, and add a bit of glycerine for hydration.
Or use just the parfum. You are going to smell  well .
But the better is the soap and water, of course.
I did one with alcohol 96% (etanol), glycerine 10% and H2O2 that kills spores in the amount to get 70% . Added  some drops of Rosemary and Lavender EO and smells great. Not sticky, not drying but very runny. I simply use more.


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## Jersey Girl (Mar 16, 2020)

I just ordered 99.9% isopropyl alcohol and glycerine. Could someone help me with the percentages.  My head is spinning and I’m kind of confused trying to figure it out. I’d really appreciate it!  I want to make 32 oz of sanitizer.


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## dixiedragon (Mar 16, 2020)

I'm with Jersey Girl. I have the ingredients - isopropyl Alcohol, Hydrogen Peroxide and Glycerol and Water, but I only want to make a gallon. Can somebody lay it out in weights to make 1 gallon?

Did my own math, if anybody sees an error please let me know:
This is for Formulation 2 on pg 3.
1 gallon (a bit more, actually)
127 oz (volume) Isopropyl alcohol 99.8%
7 oz (vol) hydrogen peroxide
2.5 oz (vol) glycerol/glycerin
32.5 oz water

ETA: Here's where I am stumped - top up to the 10-litre mark with sterile distilled or cold boiled water. How much water?

Seriously, these are awful directions.

So, more of my own math:
10 litres = 10,000 mL
Subtract 7515 (alcohol), 417 (hydrogen peroxide) and 145 (glycerol), which leaves 1923 mL water. That is 65 oz water. Half of that (for 1 gal) is 32.5 oz.

Gah. I hope DeeAnna will double check me?


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## DeeAnna (Mar 16, 2020)

All recipes online that are reputable are doing measurements in VOLUME units. If you see "ounces" it is FLUID ounces, not weight ounces.

I have written an article with how-to-make-sanitizer info, including how to translate volume amounts into weight amounts and how to use alcohol with different percentages of alcohol-by-volume (ABV). This stuff is on my Soapy Stuff site. I will update and expand that article as needed. See https://classicbells.com/soap/sanitizer.asp


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## Jersey Girl (Mar 16, 2020)

DeeAnna said:


> All recipes online that are reputable are doing measurements in VOLUME units. If you see "ounces" it is FLUID ounces, not weight ounces.
> 
> I have written an article with how-to-make-sanitizer info, including how to translate volume amounts into weight amounts and how to use alcohol with different percentages of alcohol-by-volume (ABV). This stuff is on my Soapy Stuff site. I will update and expand that article as needed. See https://classicbells.com/soap/sanitizer.asp



I read it several times but I just can’t seem to focus right now in order for it to sink in. Anxiety and stress is winning in my head. 

https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-make-hand-sanitizer

This one looks simple enough but I want to make a 70% solution, not 60%.


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## dixiedragon (Mar 16, 2020)

I'm with Jersey - sorry DeeAnna, but I could not figure out how to use your info to make a recipe.


----------



## shunt2011 (Mar 16, 2020)

Nor could I.  I did just receive a gallon from essentials by Catalina but would still like to be able to make some.


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## Nona'sFarm (Mar 16, 2020)

Jersey Girl said:


> https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-make-hand-sanitizer
> 
> This one looks simple enough but I want to make a 70% solution, not 60%.


I am used to working with numbers and understand @DeeAnna 's post.
What ABV alcohol are you starting with?
 I think I can walk you through it; then we can run it past DeeAnna.
Never mind, I see what you wrote higher up. give me a minute.


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## IrishLass (Mar 16, 2020)

Jersey Girl said:


> I just ordered 99.9% isopropyl alcohol and glycerine. Could someone help me with the percentages.  My head is spinning and I’m kind of confused trying to figure it out. I’d really appreciate it!  I want to make 32 oz of sanitizer.





			
				dixiedragon said:
			
		

> I'm with Jersey - sorry DeeAnna, but I could not figure out how to use your info to make a recipe.





shunt2011 said:


> Nor could I.  I did just receive a gallon from essentials by Catalina but would still like to be able to make some.




When I made mine, I used Atiz's way of making the calculations, which is a reverse/backdoor way of doing DeeAnna's calculations, but it was more understandable/ easier for me to do. Atiz's reverse way is in post #17 of this thread, but I will go ahead and walk through Atiz's way of doing calculations step by step for JerseyGirl, so others who are having trouble can see how it's done in order to be able to do it for themselves:

Atiz wrote this in post #17 in response to Susie asking for help doing the calculations to make 500 mLs of 70% sanitizer using her 91% alcohol:
This seems good to me.
(Although I tend to do the calculation backwards, but it makes no difference, just easier for me: you need 500ml of 70% alcohol, that means you want 500 x 0.7 = 350 ml total alcohol in your batch. To have 350 ml alcohol, you need (350 x 100)/91 of the 91% alcohol you have, which is about 384.6 ml.)

Okay, JerseyGirl, you said you wanted to make 32 volume oz of sanitizer with a 70% alcohol content.... so you first do this multiplication equation: 32 volume ounces x 70% (or .7), which = 22.4 volume ounces total actual alcohol needed for your batch......

In order to end up with 22.4 volume ounces of actual alcohol in your 32 ounces of 70% sanitizer using your 99.9% alcohol, you then need to do this equation to find out how much of your 99.9% alcohol to measure/pour out into your measuring cup: 

(22.4 oz x 100) divided by 99.9 ........ So, 22.4 x 100= 2240.........and 2240 divided by 99.9= 22.42. So, you need to measure/pour out 22.42 volume ounces of your 99.9% alcohol for your batch (which you can round up to 23 volume ounces in order to make it easier to measure out.....that little bit extra alcohol isn't going to hurt). So......23 ounces of your sanitizer will consist of your 99.9% alcohol, and the remaining 9 volume oz will be glycerin in order to end up with a total of 32 ounces of 70% sanitizer.


Hope that helps!
IrishLass


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## cmzaha (Mar 16, 2020)

EBC finally posted the Alcohol content for their hand wash as 62%. But have already raised the price by $5


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## dixiedragon (Mar 16, 2020)

cmzaha said:


> EBC finally posted the Alcohol content for their hand wash as 62%. But have already raised the price by $5


Keep in mind they are probably paying extra for rush orders for their suppliers, paying extra for overnight shipping, paying overtime for their workers. People are quick to point the finger and yell "Pricing gouging!"


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## Nona'sFarm (Mar 16, 2020)

for @Jersey Girl ,
You want 70% alcohol solution, end up with 32 fluid ounces, and starting with 99.9% isopropyl alcohol

(70/99.9) * 32 = 22.4 Fluid ounces of alcohol or 2 3/4 cups plus almost 1 tablespoon. Or 22 ounces (2 3/4 cups) will get you close to 70 %.
Then add 10 fluid ounces (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) of glycerine.

Boy, now I understand why the metric system is so much easier. This is maddening.

@DeeAnna , can you take a look at this, please?


----------



## IrishLass (Mar 16, 2020)

Nona'sFarm said:


> for @Jersey Girl ,
> You want 70% alcohol solution, end up with 32 fluid ounces, and starting with 99.9% isopropyl alcohol
> 
> (70/99.9) * 32 = 22.4 Fluid ounces of alcohol or 2 3/4 cups plus almost 1 tablespoon. Or 22 ounces (2 3/4 cups) will get you close to 70 %.
> ...



Not DeeAnna, but I just came up with pretty much the same for Jersey girl in post #63 above^^^


IrishLass


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## Jersey Girl (Mar 16, 2020)

IrishLass said:


> Not DeeAnna, but I just came up with pretty much the same for Jersey girl in post #63 above^^^
> 
> 
> IrishLass



Thank you so much. I’m a mess right now. I struggle with anxiety and panic attacks and I’m really having a hard time. Just can’t focus. Thank you for your help.



Nona'sFarm said:


> for @Jersey Girl ,
> You want 70% alcohol solution, end up with 32 fluid ounces, and starting with 99.9% isopropyl alcohol
> 
> (70/99.9) * 32 = 22.4 Fluid ounces of alcohol or 2 3/4 cups plus almost 1 tablespoon. Or 22 ounces (2 3/4 cups) will get you close to 70 %.
> ...



Thank you so very much.


----------



## Nona'sFarm (Mar 16, 2020)

Jersey Girl said:


> Thank you so very much.


You're welcome! 
My daughter also suffers from panic attacks. Do whatever you need to do to stay safe and calm. My heart goes out to you.


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## cmzaha (Mar 17, 2020)

dixiedragon said:


> Keep in mind they are probably paying extra for rush orders for their suppliers, paying extra for overnight shipping, paying overtime for their workers. People are quick to point the finger and yell "Pricing gouging!"


I did not say they were price gouging, just mentioned they raised their price. They make the product in-house.


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## Mobjack Bay (Mar 17, 2020)

I made another small batch with the ingredients I have on hand (see post #24) and it’s thicker than my original batch. It appears to be getting thicker over time.  Right now, it’s thick enough to hold bubbles in suspension, but not as thick as commercial hand sanitizer.  For this batch, I homogenized the alcohol and gel by vigorous shaking instead of using my mini stick blender as I did for the first batch.


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## Serene (Mar 17, 2020)

Alcohol content calculator she put together.   Enough reference in the description of the video to keep you busy through quarantine. 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...1vw6ItPXFvbbl5--2rHLb9F2M/edit#gid=1566936702


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## dixiedragon (Mar 17, 2020)

cmzaha said:


> I did not say they were price gouging, just mentioned they raised their price. They make the product in-house.



Sorry about that. I just wanted to point it out before somebody (not you) started talking about price gouging.


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## Arimara (Mar 17, 2020)

Serene said:


> Alcohol content calculator she put together.   Enough reference in the description of the video to keep you busy through quarantine.
> 
> https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...1vw6ItPXFvbbl5--2rHLb9F2M/edit#gid=1566936702



I guess I'm good with that Everclear. I hate numbers. Thanks.


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## DeeAnna (Mar 17, 2020)

My effort to make the math as simple as possible has clearly fallen short. I need to back away from this thread to regain my peace of mind. If you need help with the math, please ask someone else if you haven't already gotten the answers you need.

***

Here's TMI to explain --

There were 3 cases of corona virus officially diagnosed yesterday in my small rural Iowa town of 2000 people. The cases are members of a tight-knit, very conservative religious community of several hundred people who mostly live in town.

A large number of people in this religious community go to one large church, so many of these people have probably been exposed to the covid virus for some days now. It's highly likely the number of cases of covid illness will explode in town. 

We've all been kind of waiting for this to happen, but it's one thing to see a possibility and it's another thing to learn the possibility has become a reality.

My husband has an office in town, and he sees a lot of people every day, including folks from this religious community, especially now that tax time is here. In the past few work days, he has started to limit his physical contact with people, but I'm worried it's maybe too little too late, especially for a man prone to getting a bad case of respiratory illness during most tax seasons, even in the best of years.

People are contagious with covid before they show any symptoms, so my husband and the others in his office (and the local health clinic, school, businesses, etc., etc.) could have easily been exposed to the virus during the past week or two.

***

I'm working hard at not borrowing trouble before it happens, but I have to say this has gotten real personal for me real fast. I am _not _asking for anyone's advice or prayers -- I'm asking instead for people to use a tiny extra dose of kindness and tact when asking questions and making comments.

Everyone is dealing with their own fears, their own personal issues, and their own individual realities right now. I am certainly not at my best at the moment, so I'm trying hard to keep my comments here as factual and inoffensive as possible. If I don't give a direct reply to a direct question, I apologize in advance -- silence may be the best answer I may be able to give at the moment.


----------



## CatahoulaBubble (Mar 17, 2020)

DeeAnna said:


> My effort to make the math as simple as possible has clearly fallen short. I need to back away from this thread to regain my peace of mind. If you need help with the math, please ask someone else if you haven't already gotten the answers you need.
> 
> ***
> 
> ...



Hang in there Deanna. We're entering a new phase that almost no one in our lifetime has ever had to deal with. Everything is changing and we are entering a new phase of evolution in the way our world will now work going forward. Change is hard and fear can get the best of you. Just keep calm. We're all in this together and we'll make it through. As my grandmother used to say "don't borrow trouble". Take it day by day and try not to worry too much about tomorrow until it gets here.  Also, hug a dog. If you don't have one go find one. They are good at helping.


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## cmzaha (Mar 17, 2020)

DeeAnna said:


> My effort to make the math as simple as possible has clearly fallen short. I need to back away from this thread to regain my peace of mind. If you need help with the math, please ask someone else if you haven't already gotten the answers you need.
> 
> ***
> 
> ...


These are very scary times DeeAnna and you are certainly excused. I worry about my daughter in their tiny mining town of 7000 when many miners come and go. Both of my daughters are high risk for this miserable virus. I have nothing but good wishes for you and your hubby.


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## shunt2011 (Mar 17, 2020)

These are very difficult times for everyone.  We need to take a deep breath and try to take it as it comes.  I've been notified that 6 people from the conference I attended have tested positive for the virus as well as 4 of my residents are currently having symptoms and have been tested and awaiting results.   They are self quarantined for now.  We currently have a drive through respiratory check station at the hospital and are seeing 200-250 people per day.  Sadly, many think they are going to be tested when it's not physically possible as there just isn't enough tests available for everyone.   So, needless to say people are getting angry and are convinced they have it when likely many don't.  

So, we can all do our best to support each other here.  Kind words are a good first step.


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## dixiedragon (Mar 17, 2020)

Praying for you and your community, DeeAnna! It was not my intent to come across badly to you -  I was just stumped by the math. I do appreciate your efforts to explain things to us. 

Eat hot soup and get plenty of rest and sunshine!


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## BattleGnome (Mar 18, 2020)

Pinterest today.... lots of diy Lysol-type disinfectant wipes. Seems to be a similar mix of those who actually understand the science of sanitizing and those who like the smell of essential oils. The best ones seem to take their hand sanitizer mix and add it to a container with reusable/paper towels for quick cleaning. 

I might make this recipe on my weekend, basically rubbing alcohol and dish soap for actual cleaning power with the sanitizing


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## Susie (Mar 18, 2020)

I have Clorox wipes, but I am using just all the regular cleaning stuff inside my house, because if one of us has the virus, both of us do already.  I am packing a small Ziploc bag of Clorox wipes around with me when I leave the house, though.  For door handles, grocery carts, etc.  

I think they deferred the tax deadline by 90 days.  I read something yesterday. Yep, here:  https://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/...-tax-deadline-to-july-15-coronavirus-response

They cancelled my daughter's graduation from college.  She is still stuck in Mississippi waiting to hear if they are giving them credit for their student teaching that has already been done or not.  They are waiting for the powers that be to make a decision if they are going to re-open schools or not.  So, I may be making a flying trip to Mississippi to move her here shortly.  I am worried about whether there will be a hotel open there when we get there.


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## LilyJo (Mar 18, 2020)

Not 100% sure on this but I think I read something about some of the go-to antibacterial stuff being toxic to dogs.

Anyone shed any light on that to perhaps aid some of our soapy peeps?


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## Nona'sFarm (Mar 18, 2020)

BattleGnome said:


> Pinterest today.... lots of diy Lysol-type disinfectant wipes. Seems to be a similar mix of those who actually understand the science of sanitizing ...


I'm sure you know this, but if you don't mind working with bleach, you can make a general sanitizer with bleach and water.

Do NOT use as hand sanitizer, it is too harsh. But it is great for counters, etc. if one doesn't mind working with bleach. I keep this on hand in a spray bottle to clean my chicken containers, counters, sink, etc.

By volume:
1 part bleach
9 parts water
Liquid dishwashing detergent (optional)

I mix:
 2 1/4 cups of water
1/4 cup of bleach
1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid
Then put in a spray bottle.

For optimum effectiveness, leave on surface for 10 minutes.


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## BattleGnome (Mar 18, 2020)

The problem I’m having with bleach is that all my work virus updates say that bleach needs to be refreshed/remade every day as it breaks down. I’m looking for a product that I can make up for my husband and know it will still be “active” when he needs it. 

currently my husband has set up a “clean room” in the basement. He walks in after work (Walmart), puts his clothes in the washer, wipes off phone/keys/everything else, grabs a towel (because we have a roommate and walking around), then immediately goes to shower before starting the washer with all clothes from the day. My water bill is going to be ridiculous but I get clean clothes daily and all the little nagging “I need to wash that” piles are getting done.


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## dixiedragon (Mar 18, 2020)

Just a bit of a look from the "inside" - I work for a company that makes labels. We just got a super rush order for labels for hand sanitizer. But they cut the order from 1 million labels to 500,000 labels - because they are having a hard time locating bottles. 

We had to go to a secondary source to get the material, because our primary source has literally overnight had doubled demand. 

I have an order of hand sanitizer for my office coming in next week, but we're only getting 1 pump to go with our 4 jugs. Not a problem, we're re-using containers, but just something I hadn't thought of. 

Maybe some of our suppliers can make some cash selling their stock of bottles to hand sanitizer and hand soap companies?


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## thethingswellmake (Mar 18, 2020)

Obsidian said:


> Anyone have luck actually making sanitizer? I just tried a batch 1 cup 91% rubbing alcohol to 1/2 cup aloe gel. It wouldn't mix, had to put it in a big bottle and shake the heck out if it.
> The final product was water thin and so strong alchohol smelling, I don't think any amount of EO would cover it.
> I ended up dumping it all. Might as well put straight alchohol in a spray bottle.


I did a lot of experimentation to make a hand sanitizer and found that most things just won't stay together with such high amounts of alcohol. The thickeners separate out and in many cases get very gummy.
Aloe gel is the same way- unless the aloe gel uses a more synthetic thickener that holds up to the alcohol. It will separate too.
My conclusion was that a spray made with alcohol, glycerin, and water is the most convenient, but was also able to make a thin gel with carbopol. I'd shoot for around 70% as an ideal alcohol content.
I tried just about everything I could think of, and most things didn't work. (That includes gums like xanthan and guar, gelatin, agar agar, etc.)
You can see pictures of the experiments here: https://thethingswellmake.com/diy-hand-sanitizer-that-actually-works/


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## shunt2011 (Mar 18, 2020)

dixiedragon said:


> Just a bit of a look from the "inside" - I work for a company that makes labels. We just got a super rush order for labels for hand sanitizer. But they cut the order from 1 million labels to 500,000 labels - because they are having a hard time locating bottles.
> 
> We had to go to a secondary source to get the material, because our primary source has literally overnight had doubled demand.
> 
> ...


Nature’s Garden has bottles. I ordered 100 2 oz and 50 1 oz yesterday and received them today.


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## moodymama (Mar 18, 2020)

Jersey Girl said:


> https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-make-hand-sanitizer
> 
> This one looks simple enough but I want to make a 70% solution, not 60%.



If you are using 99.9% and want 70% , 99.9 is close enough to 100 to say use 70% of your end product as alcohol.


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## Nona'sFarm (Mar 18, 2020)

BattleGnome said:


> The problem I’m having with bleach is that all my work virus updates say that bleach needs to be refreshed/remade every day as it breaks down.


I did not realize it broke down so quickly. Thank you for that information. I need to do some more research.


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## BattleGnome (Mar 19, 2020)

Nona'sFarm said:


> I did not realize it broke down so quickly. Thank you for that information. I need to do some more research.



My work has not offered any sources but safety first. If you find anything to the contrary please let us know


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## DeeAnna (Mar 19, 2020)

"..._Disinfecting Bleach Solution (½ cup Clorox® Regular Bleach2 added to 1 gallon water) The disinfecting solution has very specific instructions for mixing and use because Clorox® Regular Bleach2 is registered with the EPA as a disinfectant, with efficacy assured by following label instructions. 

"Your mom’s hospital was correct to ensure its effectiveness (critical in a hospital environment) by mixing a fresh solution daily, but I can also understand that you don’t want to make it up every day if you don’t have to. 

"To simplify things for you, you could make a smaller amount (2 tablespoons diluted in 4 cups water) that you use up over several days for general countertop cleaning. However, *when you are cleaning up after things that are highly likely to spread bacteria (like raw meat), you would want to use a freshly mixed solution*_...."

Source: https://www.clorox.com/how-to/laund...e-guides/shelf-life-of-bleachwater-solutions/


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## dixiedragon (Mar 19, 2020)

shunt2011 said:


> Nature’s Garden has bottles. I ordered 100 2 oz and 50 1 oz yesterday and received them today.


I don't think there is a mass bottle shortage, but it is harder to source 1 million identical bottles.

Hand sanitizer calculator
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1o98YBTkaBXcXIfPJc1nfChLYrihjoG_j/edit#gid=2116942897


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## Susie (Mar 21, 2020)

dixiedragon said:


> Hand sanitizer calculator
> https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1o98YBTkaBXcXIfPJc1nfChLYrihjoG_j/edit#gid=2116942897



Thank you, dixiedragon!


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## Susie (Mar 21, 2020)

BattleGnome said:


> The problem I’m having with bleach is that all my work virus updates say that bleach needs to be refreshed/remade every day as it breaks down. I’m looking for a product that I can make up for my husband and know it will still be “active” when he needs it.
> 
> currently my husband has set up a “clean room” in the basement. He walks in after work (Walmart), puts his clothes in the washer, wipes off phone/keys/everything else, grabs a towel (because we have a roommate and walking around), then immediately goes to shower before starting the washer with all clothes from the day. My water bill is going to be ridiculous but I get clean clothes daily and all the little nagging “I need to wash that” piles are getting done.



Bleach mixtures do need to be replaced daily.  

When I used to work home health with some very infectious patients, I had a "clean room" set up like that in our laundry room off the garage.  I had a robe hanging on the door that then got washed and dried with everything else. And my (then, now ex, germaphobe) husband would keep the kids and the dog locked up in a separate room until I was all cleaned up.


----------



## ainextian (Mar 21, 2020)

Hello everyone here. Am new here and I would love to be guided on how to make hand sanitizers that are in gel format(thick) not the waterly ones(the ones for spraying). So what would be the recommended formulation for a 100ml bottle . thanks a lot. 
Aine.


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## Br93lx (Mar 21, 2020)

Through a previously posted link, I found this video which had an attached formula sheet. It used xanthan gum and I tried it.



I had wasted all my aloe gel in a previous attempt that seized up the Aloe Vera into a hard ball. So this was perfect because I had glycerin. I still had one batch seize. One was perfect and another was just a tad to runny. I had trouble measuring the right amount xanthan gum.

Mix the xanthan gum thoroughly with the glycerin then add the water and mix to a gel state. Then *Slowly* add ethanol in parts reaching a gel state before adding more.


----------



## lsg (Mar 21, 2020)

I picked up some Everclear, (95% alcohol by volume), today.  At the display they offered the following recipe. Will one of you chemistry people tell me if it will be effective?

2/3 cup Everclear
1/3 cup glycerin.


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## DeeAnna (Mar 21, 2020)

Yes, that should be fine, @lsg


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## cmzaha (Mar 21, 2020)

dixiedragon said:


> I don't think there is a mass bottle shortage, but it is harder to source 1 million identical bottles.


2 oz bottles are getting a bit hard to find by the case and so are tops. My attorney together with a group is putting together thousands of bottles of sanitizer to give away in his community and having trouble acquiring bottles. They have already filled and given away 3ooo. I am donating 700 2 oz bottles and tops I have and went on sks looking for more. They are out of many of their 2 oz bottles and many of the dispensing tops.


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## lsg (Mar 21, 2020)

DeeAnna said:


> Yes, that should be fine, @lsg


Thanks DeeAnna.


----------



## paragon (Mar 22, 2020)

lsg said:


> I picked up some Everclear, (95% alcohol by volume), today.  At the display they offered the following recipe. Will one of you chemistry people tell me if it will be effective?
> 
> 2/3 cup Everclear
> 1/3 cup glycerin.


That would be like rubbing glycerin on your hands: a sticky mess. Try instead a teaspoon of glycerin, 3/4 cup everclear, and 1/4 cup water. Add another teaspoon of glycerin if it doesn't feel moisturizing enough.

(I don't know why anyone would suggest this recipe. Glycerin basically feels like cheap personal lubricant. I'm glad you asked before using up the ingredients.)


----------



## lsg (Mar 22, 2020)

Thanks paragon.


----------



## yatyat (Mar 22, 2020)

paragon said:


> That would be like rubbing glycerin on your hands: a sticky mess. Try instead a teaspoon of glycerin, 3/4 cup everclear, and 1/4 cup water. Add another teaspoon of glycerin if it doesn't feel moisturizing enough.
> 
> (I don't know why anyone would suggest this recipe. Glycerin basically feels like cheap personal lubricant. I'm glad you asked before using up the ingredients.)



My thought exactly and so I tried to use honeyquat instead and it totally did not work.  Do you know of another humectant that will play well with alcohol?  I did make a small batch with glycerin until I found a better option and it felt less drying than the commercial one that i was using but quite sticky and I used far less than 1/3 ...


----------



## atiz (Mar 22, 2020)

yatyat said:


> My thought exactly and so I tried to use honeyquat instead and it totally did not work.  Do you know of another humectant that will play well with alcohol?  I did make a small batch with glycerin until I found a better option and it felt less drying than the commercial one that i was using but quite sticky and I used far less than 1/3 ...


Just curious: what did the honeyquat do / not do? I have some around and may try it but if it's a total disaster then would rather not...


----------



## lsg (Mar 22, 2020)

After re-reading the posts by DeeAnna and Irishlass about how to figure the amounts, I came up with this recipe. It will be runny, but some of you have stated that some thickeners don't tend to work with alcohol
For 32 ounces of hand santizer:

23.8 oz of Everclear (98% alcohol by volume)
.04 oz 200x aloe powder
.42 oz glycerin
7.96 oz of distilled water.

Dissolve the aloe powder in water and add gylcerin, then add the Everclear.

You don't have to add the aloe powder; but I had some in stock.

Chemistry people is this an effective recipe. If you don't think so, be sure and say so. It won't hurt my feelings.


----------



## Soapymumma (Mar 22, 2020)

Misschief said:


> Another member of SMF posted a link to an article about hand sanitizers on her FB feed. In the comments was a link to a document from the WHO, a Guide to Local Production of WHO Recommended Handrub Formulations.
> 
> https://www.who.int/gpsc/5may/Guide...Y76irrzsQpw-sAvDNYCCoVJM2eWbyMj0hGfXhYWsacjCA
> 
> ...


I made this recipe with 99% alcohol. It’s a lovely sanitizer working well with a spray bottle. I’m feeling pleased with myself that I had 99% alcohol on hand. Being an ex nurse, I’m comfortable with this combination over anything else. I like the addition of hydrogen peroxide.


----------



## atiz (Mar 22, 2020)

lsg said:


> After re-reading the posts by DeeAnna and Irishlass about how to figure the amounts, I came up with this recipe. It will be runny, but some of you have stated that some thickeners don't tend to work with alcohol
> For 32 ounces of hand santizer:
> 
> 23.8 oz of Everclear (98% alcohol by volume)
> ...


While I'm not a "chemistry person" I'm afraid, this looks good to me -- it has 23.8 x 0.98 = 23.32 oz alcohol in 32 oz of sanitizer, which is about 72%. Should be a nice sanitizer I would think.


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## DeeAnna (Mar 22, 2020)

I'm coming up with the same answers as Atiz. Looks good, @lsg.


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## Nona'sFarm (Mar 22, 2020)

atiz said:


> While I'm not a "chemistry person" I'm afraid, this looks good to me -- it has 23.8 x 0.98 = 23.32 oz alcohol in 32 oz of sanitizer, which is about 72%. Should be a nice sanitizer I would think.


I made 8 fluid ounces of sanitizer:
5 oz (10 tablespoons) of 99% Isoropyl Alcohol
2.5 oz (5 tablespoons) of Aloe Vera Liquid
.5 oz (1 tablespoon) of Glycerine
3ML Lavender EO

It works well in a spray bottle or I could use a dispenser pop top and shake a few drops on my hands, then rubbing it around to completely cover my hands. I'm keeping mine in the car for when I can't get to a sink to wash my hands. For the most part we are not going anywhere, except for curb side grocery pickup.  At some point soon, we may have to shelter at home. Sure that time is coming.


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## IrishLass (Mar 22, 2020)

paragon said:


> That would be like rubbing glycerin on your hands: a sticky mess. Try instead a teaspoon of glycerin, 3/4 cup everclear, and 1/4 cup water. Add another teaspoon of glycerin if it doesn't feel moisturizing enough.
> 
> (I don't know why anyone would suggest this recipe. Glycerin basically feels like cheap personal lubricant. I'm glad you asked before using up the ingredients.)



Different likes for different bites as the old commercial jingle goes. lol I'm one of those who made my 71% sanitizer using 2/3rds 95% abv Everclear and 1/3rd glycerin and I love it. I don't find it to be a sticky mess at all and it doesn't feel like cheap personal lubricant to me either.... just nicely moisturizing. Ones mileage will vary depending on ones skin-type and ambient humidity, though. 


IrishLass


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## lsg (Mar 22, 2020)

Thanks atiz and DeeAnna.  I think I will try a small batch tomorrow to see how the recipe turns out.  Will let you all know.


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## Jersey Girl (Mar 22, 2020)

Is anyone adding hydrogen peroxide to their recipe like the recipe from WHO?


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## atiz (Mar 22, 2020)

Jersey Girl said:


> Is anyone adding hydrogen peroxide to their recipe like the recipe from WHO?


My understanding (from DeeAnna) was that hydrogen peroxide is used more to sanitize the equipment, but it's not needed in the sanitizer as such. So I don't; alcohol should be enough.


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## Jersey Girl (Mar 22, 2020)

atiz said:


> My understanding (from DeeAnna) was that hydrogen peroxide is used more to sanitize the equipment, but it's not needed in the sanitizer as such. So I don't; alcohol should be enough.



Thank you.


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## DeeAnna (Mar 23, 2020)

_"...Is anyone adding hydrogen peroxide to their recipe like the recipe from WHO?..."_

If you have any concerns about omitting the peroxide, please double check with the source. The method for making hand sanitizer on the WHO website discusses why the hydrogen peroxide is included as one of the ingredients.

Here's a link to the WHO method -- https://www.who.int/gpsc/information_centre/handrub-formulations/en/ Especially see page 6 in the actual "how to make it" PDF.


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## Mobjack Bay (Mar 23, 2020)

My “James Bond” hand sanitizer (shaken, not stirred) is getting thicker all the time as evidenced by the bubbles trapped in the gel:


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## atiz (Mar 23, 2020)

Mobjack Bay said:


> My “James Bond” hand sanitizer (shaken, not stirred) is getting thicker all the time as evidenced by the bubbles trapped in the gel:
> 
> View attachment 44698


That looks great! I may need to get some of that "after sunburn" gel (or whatever it's called). Looks almost like a commercial sanitizer  
Mine is pretty liquidy and not such a nice green, but it does feel very nice on the skin (and it hopefully works).


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## IrishLass (Mar 23, 2020)

Here's a cool video that just came up on my feed that explains why glycerin is an important ingredient to have in hand sanitizer:




IrishLass


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## paillo (Mar 24, 2020)

Aloe vera gel is impossible to get in stores right now, luckily I had a stash. When I run out I'll use 99.8 percent pure aloe vera juice, found a gallon jug for under $8 at Walmart. I'm using 2/3 420 Extractor ($26 for 1.75 liters) as a substitute for Everclear which is impossible to find in liquor stores too. 1/3 aloe vera gel or juice, a few drops of lavender and tea tree EOs. Giving it to everyone close to me in 3 oz. snap cap bottles cuz that's the only size I have plenty of.


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## MGM (Mar 24, 2020)

Before we went to Cancun on March 11, I made a number of small bottles of 75% IPA (99%), 25% aloe vera gel (mine is very liquidy), with 1/2 tsp vit E and a few drops TTO and sage. We sprayed it all over the airplane seats, etc., but also used it on our hands all the time. It's really easy and I feel like it goes farther than the goopy gel. Now that we're home, it's soap soap soap, but I was very happy to have made that other stuff, or we'd have run out.
I also took a sealed bottle of IPA with us and a few small bottles of various EOs: Thieves Blend, lavender, and a couple of others...freshened up the place nicely.


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## Karla Fukuda (Mar 26, 2020)

Hi All

I am not a soap maker so please  forgive me if my question is dumb. I have made some very basic hard lotion bars in the past that I really liked and I was wondering if there was a recipe for a hand sanitzer bar or if you could possibly add beeswax to one of the hand sanitizer bases that were mentioned previously? I was hoping to make something that I think my kids will use. Thank you for any advice and information. I hope everyone is safe and healthy.


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## Misschief (Mar 26, 2020)

Karla Fukuda said:


> Hi All
> 
> I am not a soap maker so please  forgive me if my question is dumb. I have made some very basic hard lotion bars in the past that I really liked and I was wondering if there was a recipe for a hand sanitzer bar or if you could possibly add beeswax to one of the hand sanitizer bases that were mentioned previously? I was hoping to make something that I think my kids will use. Thank you for any advice and information. I hope everyone is safe and healthy.


There are no dumb questions. I would say if they're willing to use a bar, it should be a bar of soap along with water.


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## DeeAnna (Mar 26, 2020)

Susan of Swift Crafty Monkey is being really vocal on FaceBook that people should not be making DIY hand sanitizer. Even if the DIY person is making sanitizer following the WHO recipe or other reputable formulations.

I get her point I suppose, if commercially made sanitizer was readily available. But given the current circumstances, I question whether she's being realistic.

edit: People are also making DIY facemasks. It is quite true that commercial facemasks built with better materials and tested to strict standards are much better ... if they are available. But again, there are some areas where there are few or no commercial facemasks to be had, so people are needing to improvise.

Better for everyday people to use homemade masks, hopefully made following instructions from a hospital or clinic or other informed source. That way we can save the good ones for medical personnel who are in need of the best protection.


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## Dahila (Mar 26, 2020)

I just made 120 ml using 70% of 99%RA plus 30% of Aloe vera juice (distillate,  i use for lotions) and 1% of lemon Essential oil.  My hubby complains that he can smell alcohol ,  I do not care.  60-70% of 99% RA will be effective to kill viruses. Actually I added two grams more of alcohol to get 70 as long as it is not over 80% it will work


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## justjacqui (Mar 26, 2020)

Here is a great video that shows some of the problems with making your own hand sanitizer using random recipes from the internet.


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## true blue (Mar 27, 2020)

I just don't understand why people who are AT HOME (not when you're out and about, obviously) are hung up on unsing hand sanitizer. Use the soap! Even the CDC has said that soap and water work better than hand sanitizer.


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## Misschief (Mar 27, 2020)

true blue said:


> I just don't understand why people who are AT HOME (not when you're out and about, obviously) are hung up on unsing hand sanitizer. Use the soap! Even the CDC has said that soap and water work better than hand sanitizer.


Many of us who are at home still need to go out now and then and may not have access to soap and water. Or we have loved ones who need to be out and about and we want to do all we can to keep them safe. That said, yes, soap and water when you can and as soon as you walk in the door.


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## true blue (Mar 27, 2020)

Misschief said:


> Many of us who are at home still need to go out now and then and may not have access to soap and water. Or we have loved ones who need to be out and about and we want to do all we can to keep them safe. That said, yes, soap and water when you can and as soon as you walk in the door.



 Yup ... that's why I said 





true blue said:


> (not when you're out and about, obviously)


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## DeeAnna (Mar 27, 2020)

I think the essential point of this thread is how to _make _hand sanitizer. I don't see anyone here touting it as an alternative to soap, water, and proper handwashing technique. It's a second best option when soap 'n water isn't available. 

Making hand sanitizer is a new product for most of us, hence this thread. If we routinely made hand sanitizer but soap was new to us, you'd see the reverse happening.


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## rdc1978 (Mar 28, 2020)

Misschief said:


> Many of us who are at home still need to go out now and then and may not have access to soap and water. Or we have loved ones who need to be out and about and we want to do all we can to keep them safe. That said, yes, soap and water when you can and as soon as you walk in the door.



This is me.  If I must be out I just wash my hands as soon as I get through the door.  I have sanitizer in my purse, but I don't use it.


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## IrishLass (Mar 28, 2020)

I only use hand sanitizer when I'm out and about and can't get to a sink to wash with soap. I keep a small bottle of the sanitizer in my purse.....and I've also been keeping a package of baby wipes in the console of my truck so that when I get back out to my truck from the store, I scrub my hands as well as I can all over with a wipe and then finish things off with the hand sanitizer. Then I drive home without touching any part of my face, and then wash with soap and water as soon as I get in the house. Gosh....I'm beginning to sound like Adrian Monk! lol 


IrishLass


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## lsg (Mar 28, 2020)

I like to use it after I have handled our mail, too.


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## DeeAnna (Mar 28, 2020)

We had to get supplies and groceries today. Normally shopping is a pleasant chore, but not today. I now can appreciate how people with agoraphobia feel. It was difficult to do this.

I called ahead to the feed store and meat market and placed orders to pick up, which shortened my time in their stores.

I tried to be mindful of the 6 foot safety zone in the stores, and realized that keeping that much space between me and another person is a lot harder than it seems. It was difficult in the grocery store especially, since two people pushing carts past each other can't possibly stay 6 feet apart. I just didn't linger. 

I can tell people are stressed. Very little laughter or joking ... or even lighthearted chatting. The grocery checker said most people are civil, but there are a few who are being really nasty or irritable. I did my level darndest best to be pleasant and polite -- it's the least I can do to lighten the load on everyone, at least a tiny bit.

When in a store, I tried to keep my hands in my pockets unless I was pushing a cart. I used sanitizer every time I got back into the car and used sanitizer in the store if available. And, yes, washed my hands thoroughly after getting home and after putting everything away. 

I thought about even disinfecting the groceries per a video I watched the other day. I gave up on that, much as I know it could be important. By that time, I was emotionally drained. I decided keeping my hands clean and not touching my face were the most important goals.

Even though I'm stressed, I know I have a lot to be thankful about. As far as I am aware, I'm healthy, hubby Chuck is healthy, and everyone else who is near and dear to me is okay too. We have food, water, not much debt, and a little money laid by for bad times. I can still afford to pay the salary of the lady who works with me, and Chuck is taking care of his two employees as well. And I have plenty of hobbies and projects to keep me busy. Thank goodness spring is coming on and I can get outdoors more.


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## Quilter99755 (Mar 29, 2020)

I had to go out for groceries the other day.  Very few people in the stores that I went to. Tried Costco but there was a long line around the parking lot, so I didn't even try.  I have a few wipes left, no ingredients on the shelves for sanitizer, so won't be making any in the near future; and one tiny bottle left in the whole house. But my routine was similar to DeeAnna's and others with the wipe downs each time getting back to the car and lots of soap and water when at home. I add a little clorox to my wash water when scrubbing the counters, doors, etc. and can only hope for the best. Our daughter is close by...one mile...and checks on us as she is working from home and our grandson is out of school. After a discussion last night, she does not want us to go out at all, so from now on she will get supplies, although we probably have enough between the two households to last at least  a month now. Other than the sanitizer ingredients, the only two things that I couldn't find was flour and lard.  I have palm oil on order so could sub the lard and get back to soaping, but am working on a quilting project now that is needed for a family who lost their house in a fire. We've had warmer days, enough to work out in the garden which is greening up. Hubby mowed for the first time this year and the smell was lovely. We have to be thankful for the little things we get now.


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## Sonia Aragon (Mar 30, 2020)

Following up on True Blue's comment about how people use hand sanitizer when at home, I saw a video the other day of a lady getting her hands burned when cooking and after having applied hand sanitizer.  It is made with mostly alcohol, people, and it's highly flammable.  The lady showing the experiment put some sanitizer on a plate and lit it.  You couldn't see the flame but when she put a piece of paper to it, it caught fire.
Don't use when you are at home.  Use soap and water.


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## lsg (Mar 30, 2020)

23.8 oz of Everclear (98% alcohol by volume)
.04 oz 200x aloe powder
.42 oz glycerin
7.96 oz of distilled water.

Dissolve the aloe powder in water and add gylcerin, then add the Everclear.

You don't have to add the aloe powder; but I had some in stock.

I made a small batch of this today, adding a few drops of lavender EO for fragrance.  It is runny, but seems to evaporate well after rubbing the hands together for about 20 seconds.  I tried a recipe using homemade aloe gel that contained guar gum as a thickening agent.  This separated upon adding the alcohol.  I think it is better for me to go with the runny version rather than experimenting with thickening agents. (Too expensive, if it doesn't work).


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## lovdatsoap (Mar 30, 2020)

The initial research I saw said sanitizer made w 60% alcohol was effective but I noticed all the sanitizer in brand names at work,  in my purse and car ,...were all 70%

Later research I read said 70% alcohol
If I were to make it I might add a few drops of white thyme EO for it’s properties in the 30% weight

A question to those who tried 90% - was it drying over time (my dumb question)
What did you use to add softening properties ?

Last thought  - (most of you already know this as this is a sophisticated crowd ) but the literature  in past indicated that Aloe Vera should be avoided by those w history of skin cancer


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## shunt2011 (Mar 31, 2020)

@lovdatsoap the sanitizer used in the hospital I work at is 62% Ethyl Alcohol.   We have cans in dispensers throughout the hospital and small containers for personal use.


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## atiz (Mar 31, 2020)

lovdatsoap said:


> The initial research I saw said sanitizer made w 60% alcohol was effective but I noticed all the sanitizer in brand names at work,  in my purse and car ,...were all 70%
> 
> Later research I read said 70% alcohol
> If I were to make it I might add a few drops of white thyme EO for it’s properties in the 30% weight
> ...


I can't find the reference now but seem to recall that it's also not good if it's more than 80% alcohol -- so I wouldn't make it 90%. I don't remember the reason just that it is not effective then either.

A lot of people use glycerin for "softening". I'm not familiar with the adverse effects of aloe vera, but that's interesting.


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## Susie (Mar 31, 2020)

lovdatsoap said:


> The initial research I saw said sanitizer made w 60% alcohol was effective but I noticed all the sanitizer in brand names at work,  in my purse and car ,...were all 70%
> 
> Later research I read said 70% alcohol
> If I were to make it I might add a few drops of white thyme EO for it’s properties in the 30% weight
> ...



If I were you, I would save the expensive EO that you are about to kill with the alcohol.  It is highly unlikely any beneficial properties survive an alcohol soak.  If you want to use it for scent, go for it.

Hand sanitizer gel, like frequent handwashing, is going to be drying to the hands.  I save using hand sanitizer gel for when I get back into my car at the stores.  Then I sanitize my hands, keys, steering wheel, and anything else I touched getting into the car.  I am a nurse, so I already wash my hands plenty at home.  I also no longer carry a purse into the car to go to stores.  It is one less thing I have to worry about contamination on.  I have my driver's license and debit card in a coin purse attached to my key chain.

I use sanitizer spray on paper towels to clean my items when I get home as much as possible.  My daughter is here now, so she does the bringing in of bags, and I do the wiping down of the outsides.  I wash the fresh fruit and vegetables with my 100% CO soap and warm water before putting them up or out for eating.  Dishwashing gloves are used and washed using proper handwashing techniques.  I am trying to save my skin, but I would rather have dry skin than coronavirus.

Last thought:  I have searched extensively trying to find a link _*from a reputable organization*_ linking use of aloe gel or juice to skin cancer. Either before, during, or after treatment for skin cancer.  If you can find any article, please link it.  Note the "reputable organization" designation.

ETA:  @atiz Glycerin is better.  See post # 113 above from IrishLass as to why.  Since glycerin has become almost impossible to find, people are using aloe vera gel as it is fairly decent at holding the alcohol on your skin for those important 20 seconds.


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## Gaisy59 (Mar 31, 2020)

Sighhhh i can find aloe gel but no way no how is there any rubbing alcohol around. And our liquor stores no linger carry everclear.

i find it ironic that they want us to sanitize but there arent any products available to use.


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## lsg (Mar 31, 2020)

Have you asked for high proof vodka.  Maybe that would work.


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## Dahila (Mar 31, 2020)

I wonder, DeeAnna ,  Can I use it as acohol in my sanitizer the inci name is;  SDA 40B 200 proof, isopropyl myristate, isopropyl alcohol.  It is perfumery alcohol


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## Dahila (Mar 31, 2020)

I use 70% RB (99%) added some aloe vera distillate, and 1% lemon essential oil so 70% RA and the rest is 30%.  To be sure that it works it would have to be tested, I would never sell it, just for my own use


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## Gaisy59 (Mar 31, 2020)

Gaisy59 said:


> Sighhhh i can find aloe gel but no way no how is there any rubbing alcohol around. And our liquor stores no linger carry everclear.
> 
> i find it ironic that they want us to sanitize but there arent any products available to use.



Up in Canada we dont sell high proof. I gotta get in making my own still lol


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## Dahila (Mar 31, 2020)

Gaisy59 said:


> Up in Canada we dont sell high proof. I gotta get in making my own still lol


costco 99% Isopropyl alcohol 2 l for 12.99. It does stink though
yeah not high proof alcohol in liquor stores , while being in Poland they have high proof grain alcohol in stores, always had,  it is 99%


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## Gaisy59 (Mar 31, 2020)

Dahila said:


> costco 99% Isopropyl alcohol 2 l for 12.99. It does stink though
> yeah not high proof alcohol in liquor stores , while being in Poland they have high proof grain alcohol in stores, always had,  it is 99%



Costco MB sold out of alcohol and sanitizer wipes. We had some very greedy people here. I have tried pharmacies and stores. Im done. I will carry a bar of soap with me


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## Dahila (Mar 31, 2020)

Gaisy59 said:


> Costco MB sold out of alcohol and sanitizer wipes. We had some very greedy people here. I have tried pharmacies and stores. Im done. I will carry a bar of soap with me


same here,  I can not believe it
i still have almost 2 l which i got few months ago


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## SideDoorSoaps (Mar 31, 2020)

I checked out the FDA about hand sanitizer after reading about local breweries making hand sanitizer. I found this: https://www.fda.gov/media/136118/download

very informative!


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## IrishLass (Mar 31, 2020)

Gaisy59 said:


> Sighhhh i can find aloe gel but no way no how is there any rubbing alcohol around. And our liquor stores no linger carry everclear.
> 
> i find it ironic that they want us to sanitize but there arent any products available to use.



My store is out of Everclear, too. It's a bummer, because I use it regularly for making things for myself and family _other_ than hand sanitizer, such as perfume and hubby and son's after shave. This is the first time I've ever used it to make hand sanitizer. 

BUT....I last week I was able to purchase food-grade 190 proof alcohol (ethanol) online from Mystic Mountain Distillery located in Colorado. The funny thing is that I didn't find out until after I had ordered it that their main customers are the marijuana growing crowd, who use either it or Everclear for extraction purposes. A name like Extractor 420 would have been a clue had I been savvy enough to know any better, but I was totally clueless until I looked up their choice of name for it of curiosity, lol. Umm.....anyway, I received it via FedEx yesterday, and it turned out to be less expensive than what I normally pay for Everclear at my grocery store (even with shipping included). You do have to live in a state where 190-proof alcohol is legal, though. They won't ship it to you otherwise. And you have to be home to sign for it (with ID) when it gets delivered. On the plus side, being at home is not a problem at the moment. 


IrishLass


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## Gaisy59 (Mar 31, 2020)

IrishLass said:


> My store is out of Everclear, too. It's a bummer, because I use it regularly for making things for myself and family _other_ than hand sanitizer, such as perfume and hubby and son's after shave. This is the first time I've ever used it to make hand sanitizer.
> 
> BUT....I last week I was able to purchase food-grade 190 proof alcohol (ethanol) online from Mystic Mountain Distillery located in Colorado. The funny thing is that I didn't find out until after I had ordered it that their main customers are the marijuana growing crowd, who use either it or Everclear for extraction purposes. A name like Extractor 420 would have been a clue had I been savvy enough to know any better, but I was totally clueless until I looked up their choice of name for it of curiosity, lol. Umm.....anyway, I received it via FedEx yesterday, and it turned out to be less expensive than what I normally pay for Everclear at my grocery store (even with shipping included). You do have to live in a state where 190-proof alcohol is legal, though. They won't ship it to you otherwise. And you have to be home to sign for it (with ID) when it gets delivered. On the plus side, being at home is not a problem at the moment.
> 
> ...


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## Susie (Apr 1, 2020)

IrishLass said:


> My store is out of Everclear, too. It's a bummer, because I use it regularly for making things for myself and family _other_ than hand sanitizer, such as perfume and hubby and son's after shave. This is the first time I've ever used it to make hand sanitizer.
> 
> BUT....I last week I was able to purchase food-grade 190 proof alcohol (ethanol) online from Mystic Mountain Distillery located in Colorado. The funny thing is that I didn't find out until after I had ordered it that their main customers are the marijuana growing crowd, who use either it or Everclear for extraction purposes. A name like Extractor 420 would have been a clue had I been savvy enough to know any better, but I was totally clueless until I looked up their choice of name for it of curiosity, lol. Umm.....anyway, I received it via FedEx yesterday, and it turned out to be less expensive than what I normally pay for Everclear at my grocery store (even with shipping included). You do have to live in a state where 190-proof alcohol is legal, though. They won't ship it to you otherwise. And you have to be home to sign for it (with ID) when it gets delivered. On the plus side, being at home is not a problem at the moment.
> 
> ...



This forum takes me down the oddest rabbit trails of Google searches...I would hate for any official agency to look at my search history.


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## DeeAnna (Apr 1, 2020)

Yeahhhhh. Pretty suspicious there....

Sodium hydroxide. Everclear. Hmmm. What kind of highly addictive substances are these people making????


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## Susie (Apr 2, 2020)

I had to figure out what they were extracting with the Everclear.  And then I had to know exactly how they used it.  I do not live in a state that allows the legal use of marijuana.


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## lenarenee (Apr 2, 2020)

Susie said:


> I had to figure out what they were extracting with the Everclear.  And then I had to know exactly how they used it.  I do not live in a state that allows the legal use of marijuana.



Wish I could say the same. I'm all for medical use and continued scientific research and whatever good comes from that. But there's a ridiculous amount of miraculous thinking about CBD products (without substantiated science)- kind of like essential oils.


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## Relle (Apr 2, 2020)

I was trying to make some homemade hand sanitizer and WHOOPS, it turned into a vodka soda with a twist of fresh lime .


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## Gaisy59 (Apr 2, 2020)

I was thinking more in line with gin and tonic as the tonic has quinine in it and they are testing with chloroquine for use against the virus. Always willing to help science


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## lsg (Apr 4, 2020)

I received this from Essential Wholesale and Labs and thought I would share.

"Here is a guide to creating a thick alcohol cleansing aloe gel, and a second recipe for creating a _moisturizing_ cleansing gel to avoid those rough, dry patches that form with frequent hand washing. "


*Alcohol Hand Gel*

*Ingredients:*
17% Hot distilled or Deionized Water 
0.5% Hydroxyethyl cellulose 
20% Aloe Gel (or Simple Aloe Gel, or our USDA Certified Organic Aloe Gel) 
60-70% denatured alcohol (we are not certified to sell alcohol to the public)


1. High shear mix hydroxyehtyl cellulose (HEC) with hot water until a gel is formed.
2. High shear mix aloe gel with the HEC gel you just created.
3. High shear mix denatured alcohol into gel base.


*Moisturizing Alcohol Hand Gel*

*Ingredients:*
12% Hot distilled or Deionized Water 
0.6% Hydroxyethyl cellulose 
0.3% Hyaluronic Acid https://www.essentialwholesale.com/product/1222/hyaluronic-acid-powder
1% Propylene Glycol
13% Aloe Gel (or Simple Aloe Gel, or our USDA Certified Organic Aloe Gel) 
72% Alcohol (we are not certified to sell alcohol to the public)

1. High shear mix first 4 ingredients until a smooth gel is formed.
2. High shear this mix into the aloe gel.
3. High shear mix denatured alcohol into gel base.


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## atiz (Apr 4, 2020)

lsg said:


> I received this from Essential Wholesale and Labs and thought I would share.
> 
> "Here is a guide to creating a thick alcohol cleansing aloe gel, and a second recipe for creating a _moisturizing_ cleansing gel to avoid those rough, dry patches that form with frequent hand washing. "
> 
> ...


This looks great, thank you.
FWIW, I have been using my hyaluronic acid hand sanitizer (which is like 30% of 1% solution so I guess it's right around what they suggest), and it really is very gentle on the hands. I haven't thought of hydroxyethyl cellulose for thickening, but have some lying around here so will try it.


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## IrishLass (Apr 4, 2020)

I made a couple of purse-sized (18 mLs) sprayers with the ethanol version of WHO recipe (contains 80% ethanol ABV) using my 190-proof Everclear (followed the recipe percents to a 'T", including the addition of hydrogen peroxide). It contains considerably less glycerin than the sanitizer I made a week or so ago on page 3 of this thread that contained 71% ethanol ABV.

Results?:

It definitely needs more glycerin as it dries me out, and I can't keep it on my hands for a full 20 seconds rub-in without using considerably more of it  in comparison to how much I use of my 71% sanitizer that contains  a 1/3rd amount of glycerin. I've been using it as a contact spray instead for hard surfaces.


IrishLass


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## CaraBou (Apr 4, 2020)

I made a slightly modified version of the Crunchy Betty recipe today, and ended up with a white precipitate at the bottom. Anyone know what that might be or what it means to the finished product if I leave it behind? 

The recipe is 3/4 cup 91% isopropyl alcohol (I used 95% grain ethyl alcohol), 1/4 cup aloe vera gel (I used the closest thing I had, which was an after sun skin gel, labeled as 98% pure aloe vera), 1/8 cup glycerin, and 10 drops pink grapefruit EO. I stick blended it 4 times for about one minute each time. Maybe that's not long enough?

Other ingredients in the skin gel  besides the 98% aloe were carbomer, propylene glycol, sodium hydroxide, water, disodium EDTA, caprylyl glycol, and methylisothiazolinone.

I've ordered 100% aloe gel, we'll see if it actually ships out anytime soon.


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## Dumfrey (Apr 5, 2020)

The ratios will have to be tweaked based on your alcohol.  I do not normally use denatured, but would guess it's in the 95ish percent range? The final concentration needs to be greater than 62% alcohol.  70 would be better.


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## BrewerGeorge (Apr 24, 2020)

Howdy Folks!

Anybody tried a bit of corn starch or arrowroot as a thickener?


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## Jersey Girl (Apr 24, 2020)

Funny that this thread popped up again today. I JUST received my 99.9% isopropyl alcohol after waiting 6 weeks!  Time to make some sanitizer!


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## Dumfrey (May 4, 2020)

BrewerGeorge said:


> Howdy Folks!
> 
> Anybody tried a bit of corn starch or arrowroot as a thickener?



I ahve not used corn start or arrowroot, but did pick up some (food grade) xanthan gum from the grocery store.
Had a few trial and error....
But what I found has worked the best...
1. Mix 1/4 tsb glycerin with 1/4 tsb xanthan gum to make a paste.
Add 2/4 cup distilled water to paste, stir well.  (From what reading i did apparently low sheer mixing is best for stable, thick consistency).
2. Let mixture sit and re hydrate for 30 min to an hour.
3. Mix the desired volume of water gel to the desired volume of alcohol.
4. stir like mad.

Notes: Food grade did not make a clear gel.  Its milky looking, but works well.
MUST hydrate xanthan gum before adding to water/alcohol mix.  Otherwise just clumps and strings.


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## Susie (Jun 10, 2020)

I just wanted to remind everyone that as the world opens back up that there WILL be a second wave.  Not maybe, will.  If you haven't already purchased or made any hand sanitizer yet, now is the time.  As for Texas, our numbers continue to climb as we continue to open up.  (I am not saying we shouldn't open back up, because we totally have to get the economy going again! But our numbers are going up.)  I am ordering another gallon of hand sanitizer today so that we don't run out.


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## Susie (Jul 9, 2020)

How do I mix FO into hand sanitizer?  I am ordering another gallon, and they only sell unfragranced now.  I love the scented hand sanitizer!  Do I just use a stick blender or what?


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## BattleGnome (Jul 9, 2020)

Last time i ordered sanitizer I just used a spoon. The goal was to not add extra air bubbles.


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## atiz (Jul 10, 2020)

I used a bit of hydrosol (in place of the other liquid beside the alcohol + glycerin/hyaluronic acid). It wasn't a strong scent but was pleasant.

EDIT: if it's adding to store-bought sanitizer, I wouldn't do it, since it may be already a 60-70% solution and then adding more hydrosol water would make it too low. I wasn't thinking straight....


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## cmzaha (Jul 11, 2020)

If you are going to fragrance the entire just with the same fragrance EBC instructs to add the fragrance to the jug and shake. Rinse-Free Hand Wash Gel | 62% Alcohol | Wholesale Personal Care Base - Essentials by Catalina


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## Susie (Jul 11, 2020)

Thanks!  I couldn't find instructions anywhere.  I wish they would offer the pre-scented again.  Made my life easier.


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## Malleebird (Jul 13, 2020)

I mix my own...no special formula. Using a 100 ml spritz bottle, I measure in 2 parts isopropyl alcohol, 1 part aloe juice and a about 1/4 tsp of lemongrass.  I've given it to lots of people so I hope it's OK .


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## Sraymoure (Jul 13, 2020)

Malleebird said:


> I mix my own...no special formula. Using a 100 ml spritz bottle, I measure in 2 parts isopropyl alcohol, 1 part aloe juice and a about 1/4 tsp of lemongrass.  I've given it to lots of people so I hope it's OK .
> View attachment 47788
> 
> Thought I'd comment -
> In the US, they recommend 60-75% final alcohol concentration for covid hand sanitizer.. If your isopropyl is 70%, the sanitizer has less than 50% alcohol. If you're using 90% you end up with about 60%


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## Dahila (Jul 13, 2020)

I had used zepimax and made a light gel.  Gell is better because it stays longer on skin


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## Malleebird (Jul 13, 2020)

Thanks.... I'd better check up on that...I get it from a friend with a printing works who buys it commercially in big drums and I'm sure he told me it was 99.9 %. I've printed that on the label, but not critical as I don't sell it... but I may have heard him incorrectly, I'll certainly check.
I love having the spritz bottle in the car...so convenient to spray anything I'm touching eg. steering wheel, phone, door handle.... as it dries instantly. 
I still always carry a little bottle of commercial gel on my car keys for when I'm out.
.... and soap, soap, soap at home.  ☺


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## KimR (Jul 14, 2020)

In the medical field. Best option is a 2:1 ratio of 99% Isopropyl Alcohol to Aloe liquid = 66%. Careful storing 99%, it is also known as "burning" alcohol for torches.  The resulting hand sanitizer needs to be between 60-95% alcohol to kill bacteria.


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## Dahila (Jul 15, 2020)

Sanitizer should contain 665-705 of alcohol  .  Higher percentage evaporate too fast to kill any bacteria .


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