Hand sanitizers are a great way to fight germs but only when used correctly. But is homemade hand sanitizer a good idea? Let’s look at the reasons it might not be and what you can do to keep yourself safe during the COVID 19 crisis.
On January 20th, 2020, The United States recorded its first case of Coronavirus. The disease that is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus quickly spread and was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11th.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends repeatedly washing your hands and when you cannot, using a sanitizer. Since then, the world has gone into a frenzy, and panic-buying of all cleanliness supplies is on the rise.
Are you looking for how to handle COVID 19 with your children home? This great article on Autism and Coronavirus Quarantine – How to Manage the Daily Routine is great for all children.
The Need To Do-It-Yourself
As people are panic buying hand sanitizers, most retailers have run out of what is now considered a necessity. Sanitizer purchase rose 73% just in February. Even online shops like Amazon are out of stock, and people are panicking.
Many stores now have a limit on the number of sanitizers one person can purchase. In such a time, making homemade hand sanitizer seems like a good idea, especially when there are many recipes online claiming that it is a simple process that anyone can DIY.
They direct to mix 99% isopropyl alcohol with some aloe vera gel. But as we shall explain further, it truly is not that simple, and there is no guarantee that your DIY homemade hand sanitizer will work properly without being too harsh.
Why Not To DIY Your Hand Sanitizer
Homemade Hand Sanitizer is Not As Easy As It Seems
The straightforward reason for not making homemade hand sanitizer is that it is not as easy to make as it looks. A sanitizer works due to the right proportions of ingredients in it. The CDC recommends 60-90% of alcohol, but it is tough to get the mixture right for an untrained person. If the ratio is off, either the sanitizer will not kill all germs, or it will end up drying out your skin.
The CDC also suggests that no perfumes or oils should be used in a hand sanitizer as they can cause allergic reactions, while many DIY recipes mainly include those ingredients. By making your homemade hand sanitizer, you might be risking your health, and it is much better to get one that is made by professionals like the BeCleanse hand sanitizers.
Specialized Ingredients
A proper sanitizer, according to the WHO, doesn’t just have isopropyl alcohol, it also has glycerol, hydrogen peroxide, and sterile water. While you may think these are common-sounding names and can easily be procured, remember that the ingredients must be industrial quality.
Even if the ‘sterile water’ you use is not sterile enough, you are risking creating a bad homemade hand sanitizer. The poor-quality and improper ingredients can affect how the sanitizer works and not give desired results.
You can trust the popular hand sanitizer brand like Purell, Clorox, Artnatural which work with FDA approved hand sanitizer manufacturer“
Proper Equipment
There is more to making a homemade hand sanitizer than the ingredients. According to the FDA’s instructions, every hand sanitizer made should be tested for the final level of alcohol using an alcoholometer. Unless you happen to have the tool just lying around the house for some reason, you cant make proper hand sanitizers.
What To Do Instead
Now you must be thinking about how you’re going to protect yourself from the virus if you cant buy sanitizers and cant even make them. The following are some useful suggestions for protecting yourself and your loved ones.
Wash Your Hands
Firstly, you should know that a sanitizer is not your last line of defense against Coronavirus. In fact, it is less effective than washing your hands with soap and water, according to the CDC.
Only soap has the capability of removing the dirt and oils on your skin and reach the germs to kill them. The sanitizer can’t pass through layers of dirt. So you should only use the sanitizer when you have no access to water and soap, as recommended by the WHO.
Don’t Touch Your Face.
Coronavirus causes respiratory illness, so it has to enter your body through the nose or the mouth. This is why you should avoid touching your face as much as you can. If you have dirty hands and touch your mucous membranes i.e., the eyes, nose, and lips, you are at risk of contracting the virus.
Conclusion
Hand sanitizers are a great way to fight germs but only when used correctly. You should never use sanitizer on greasy hands. It is ineffective. Always read the label to know the prescribed amount. But also remember that sanitizer alone cannot protect you from Coronavirus. You need to practice social distancing as much as you, to reduce your risks of coming in contact with the virus in the first place.