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Are you currently on the hunt for antibacterial hand sanitizer? With the spread of the coronavirus and the potential outbreak in the United States, Americans are actively seeking...
1. How to Create DIY Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer at Home
These days, due to the threat of the coronavirus, it's not easy to procure a bottle of standard antibacterial hand sanitizer.
(Image: Shutterstock)
Are you currently searching for antibacterial hand sanitizer? With the spread of the coronavirus and the potential outbreak in the United States, Americans are actively stocking up on hygiene essentials, including antibacterial hand sanitizer, much like they do with bread and milk during a snowstorm. Retailers on Amazon have hiked up the prices of hand sanitizer to absurd levels.
CDC has urged Americans to prepare for the spread of the virus in the COVID-19 pandemic. For some, preparedness means stocking up on medications, essential food supplies, and planning for potential home situations. But most importantly, it's about practicing basic hygiene measures, such as handwashing.
However, you may not always be near a place with water and a sink. In those cases, you should use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol content. Make sure you use enough, rubbing it all over the fronts and backs of your hands until they are completely dry. Avoid touching your face at all costs.
In cases where stores are out of hand sanitizer and you don't have any on hand, fear not, you can easily make hand sanitizer at home.
DIY Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer Recipe at Home
(Image: Shutterstock)
According to microbiologist Dr. Philip Tierno, you'll need about 90 ml of rubbing alcohol, also known as isopropyl alcohol, along with 10ml of aloe vera gel.
Most isopropyl alcohol contains about 70% alcohol by volume. However, when purchasing isopropyl, it's essential to check the label for certainty. Alcohol helps clean your hands but can leave them dry, so aloe vera gel helps moisturize.
Here's a simple DIY hand sanitizer recipe you can easily try at home:
Ingredients:
- 6 tablespoons of alcohol (isopropyl alcohol), containing at least 60% alcohol by volume
- 2 teaspoons of aloe vera gel
- Bowl for mixing and spoon
- Funnel
- Clean empty hand sanitizer bottle
Instructions:
Simply mix the alcohol and aloe vera gel together and pour into the bottle using a funnel. You can double, triple, or quadruple the amount specified in the recipe as needed.
Note that you should not use fresh aloe vera but rather opt for store-bought gel as the quality of fresh aloe vera may not be stable over time. Many recipes may suggest adding essential oils like lavender or peppermint, however, these substances may cause skin irritation for some individuals.
Dry hand sanitizer versus regular hand sanitizer
(Image: Shutterstock)
The crucial reason why you need to keep your hands clean is because bacteria often spread through people who have habits of sneezing or coughing into their hands. Afterwards, they directly touch us - for example, through a handshake - or they touch a surface and leave behind bacteria. Then when we touch an elevator button or a door handle, the bacteria stay on our hands and later when we rub our eyes or nose, the virus officially enters our body.
Dr. Tierno states that about 80% of infectious diseases are transmitted through direct and indirect contact. Bacteria spread directly when people cough, sneeze, or talk close to us. And indirectly when a sick person touches commonly used objects like remote controls or shopping carts in supermarkets, then we reuse them and touch our mouth, eyes, nose, or an open wound.
To prevent this, the CDC recommends that we wash our hands frequently and thoroughly for at least 20 seconds or more. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that you should even wash your hands longer than that.
Handwashing is the simplest yet most crucial thing a person can do for their health, and it can be easily done regularly. In case you cannot wash your hands conventionally, use homemade hand sanitizer instead. However, alcohol hand sanitizer is only effective when you rub it thoroughly and let your hands dry. If you just apply a few drops to your palm and wipe it off quickly, it won't have any effect. When your hands are dirty or greasy, according to the CDC, alcohol hand sanitizer is also not very effective.
It's worth noting that the mobile devices you're using are also considered frequently touched objects. If you're concerned, you can use alcohol to clean them.
Source: trithucvn
