Homemade hand sanitizer

[jillydabrat]

Was listening to GMB this morning and DR Hillary was saying you can make your own hand sanitizer by using industrial alcohol (99% alcohol) which is available on eBay. You use 2/3 alcohol and 1/3 moisturizer. I ordered a litre bottle which wasn't cheap but they had already sod 124 bottles by noon. Since hand gel is as rare as rocking horse poop I decided to make my own. Thought you might like to know about it and it's straight from the doctors mouth.

[Swede]

Hi, it is all a good idea but you must make sure that your hands are thoroughly moisturised! If not you skin get cracks and that it is even worse as a virus or any other bacteria, can penetrate the skin easier. Also, it makes the skin itch and we scratch and again, opens up the skin for any intruder (virus, bacteria). So, keep moisturising!

[jillydabrat in reply to Swede]

I use O'Keefe's working hands, it's so good

[Ettiel in reply to Swede]

Yes Swede, that’s a very good idea. I find hand sanitizer makes my skin very dry and a little sore. My pharmacy was sold out of Isopropyl alcohol and Aloe Vera gel but gave me surgical spirit and optilube gel which she says would be equally effective. I’ll add a few drops of Tea tree oil and/or Lavender oil to make it smell better. Now I’ll make sure to moisturise as well!

[Applesnpears]

I posted a recipe on the Forum yesterday with aloe vera as the moisturiser.

The term industrial alcohol is a bit vague as it includes methanol and butanol which are highly toxic and should not be used to make hand sanitiser.

Isopropyl alcohol is the product to use.

[jillydabrat in reply to Applesnpears]

It was isopropyl alcohol he mentioned but the other presenters just stared blankly at him so he said industrial alcohol. Where can I get aloe Vera from please

[jillydabrat in reply to jillydabrat]

I typed industrial alcohol into the search on eBay and it came up with isopropyl alcohol

[Applesnpears in reply to jillydabrat]

Aloe vera is widely available in chemists, supermarkets, Amazon etc. But be aware that shortages are starting to occur and prices are rising.

I wanted to clarify the term " industrial alcohol" as I've seen reports of people using forms of industrial alcohol which could be harmful.

[jillydabrat in reply to Applesnpears]

Thanks for letting us know. It’s times like this that you realise how low people will go to make money, even at the risk of people’s health.

[Applesnpears in reply to jillydabrat]

Some people will always try to take advantage, Fortunately many more are doing what they can to help others.

[jillydabrat in reply to Applesnpears]

I see what you mean about the cost of aloe vera! I have ordered it from amazon. When I lived in Canada I grew aloe vera plants and when I got sunburnt I would just snap off a leaf to sooth my skin. I should start growing it again.

[Anag in reply to jillydabrat]

I now have 7 aloe Vera plants at home. I also eat 1 tbsp of their gel daily. Best of all, keep them in the bedroom. They are the number one plant that takes co2 and gives oxygen!

[jillydabrat in reply to Anag]

you have convinced me to go and buy some, thank you for the helpful info, really appreciate it.

[Anag in reply to jillydabrat]

Glad to help! 🙂

[Makalani]

99% alcohol is extremely flammable.

Be very careful not to use or store it near a heat source or open flame.

[Anag in reply to Makalani]

Good point.

[Deefen]

What confuses me about antibacterial gel, is that it’s exactly that - antibacterial, not anti-viral? So how does it help with Corona?

[jillydabrat in reply to Deefen]

Good question, I never gave it a thought

[FamilyPV in reply to jillydabrat]

It doesn’t in terms of attacking the virus but the virus droplets travel in an oily outer layer that needs to be destroyed to kills the virus. Soap and any thing that breaks down oil is useful but this is why any soap will do and is better than anti bacterial hand gel and why we should use soap before alcohol based products. Gels should only be used when soap can not be and as an extra precaution not the main precaution.

[Lynne-G]

Hi I am mixing Milton fluid with Alie Vera gel

My Milton hand sanitisers are running low.

Wash wash wash hands. Moisturise after xx

[Applesnpears in reply to Lynne-G]

Are you just using your Milton/ Aloe Vera mixture when you cant use soap and water?

[Anag]

👍 wonderful. I use less alcohol and add tea tree oil which doesn’t wipe out the protective microbiom of our skin. We in Austria have locked down as of tonight. Only supermarkets, banks and health facilities/pharmacies are open. It was the right thing to do. Everyone is so nice to one another, bit nervous, but disciplined and calm. It’s what I expected from this country. So...finally time for family! and some reading and lots of good tea! Keep well Jilly!

[Tico in reply to Anag]

Your Really lucky Anag, i'm starting to see the worst behaviour i've ever witnessed. Greed, ie, people taking advantage by charging exorbitant prices. People pushing and arguing over items in supermarkets, predominantly packs of toilet rolls and hand sanitizers and gels. People basically just being selfish. The worst for me is people physically ripping sanitizers off hospital walls, surely the lowest of the low, basically just pure selfishness. I was going to say, i'm ashamed to be british but it is and will go on in other countries as it worsens with all the media exacerbating this. Atb, tina.🤗

[Anag in reply to Tico]

I‘m so sorry Tina. Your depiction reminds me of the superdom Situation in New Orleans After Hurricaine Katrina. A helicopter was bringing food and was trying to land. Because it wasn’t landing where someone wanted, he started shooting at it! Well the helicopter left. Such situations really bring out what’s boiling deep inside many. I remember the depiction of an old Japanese lady waiting 12 hours in a food line for a bowl of rice after Fukushima. She was the last one and they ran out. She bowed, turned around and left, hungry.

We have had excellent leadership with our chancellor and his coalition. Conservatives and Greens working intelligently: Calm, step by step, logical. Everything explained. The Austrians are also very disciplined and generally have a sense of the whole and not the individual in such situations.

My brother-in-law is still on the Maldives and is flying thru Istanbul. Turkey stopped all flights to/from Austria yesterday. He’s at the airport now and just got the ok that his flight will connect in Turkey. So glad.

I was able to pick up my new car Friday. it was supposed to be delivered next week! I would have had to wait for months because all closed from Monday except health facilities and food markets. My very old car is about to fall apart with every km I drove! Inspection runs out on March 31st.

there is enough food for all in the warehouses.That was made clear by the government. But the markets were not able to keep up with the buying, desperately trying to fill the shelves last week. I started slowly stocking up 3 weeks ago. I am in a very high Risk category for Corona.

I praise the Lord That I will have time with my family, that the world will have time to rethink our situation, our climate, our habits, and I thank Him also for the sunny weather and flowers blooming this week. It will help us.

Keep well. Don't let these people get to you. It’s never worth it. 😘

Anag

[Applesnpears in reply to Anag]

If you use insufficient alcohol you will not inactivate the virus, putting yourself and others at risk.

The protective microbiome on your hands won't help prevent the spread of the virus.

[Anag in reply to Applesnpears]

Dear Appleanpears,

You obviously have a lot of knowledge and are well informed in many ways. There are many of us that are also the same.

But it is unfortunately typical of you to get stuck on one thing in a post And neglect other important parts consistently, then keep writing and posting until you absolutely hammer your opinion through.

You’ve done this to many and it kills the atmosphere in this forum for others.

Discussions with you could be really strong and enlightening, but that’s not the case. I wish you well.

Anag

[Applesnpears in reply to Anag]

I'm sorry you feel that way. We clearly have different styles and approaches but that is one of the strengths of this forum. It is not a reason to stop talking.

As a trained scientist I will continue to highlight areas in postings that might be harmful. This has only occurred in couple of instances.

In most cases my posts have been pointing people towards information that might be useful, to clarify complex issues or simply provide support and reassurance.

I hope you are finding things to do in these difficult times. My loft and garage badly need my attention.

Stay safe.

[jillydabrat in reply to Applesnpears]

I appreciate everyone's input. I think everyone's on tenderhooks at the moment, if not worrying about themselves, then worrying about loved ones. Let's just take advice that is sincerely posted and ignore those that we don't want to read.

[Anag in reply to jillydabrat]

Thanks, Jilly.

I have lots to do and am happy to have time to finally do the things that we have been putting off for years. This is somehow a blessing in disguise. Of course we will have less money. We just have to deal with that part.

More news from Austria: Starting Monday all playgrounds are closed. No taking walks with others, except immediate family members. Penalties are 2,000-€3,500.

Starting Dienstag, all restaurants closed. Things are getting tighter.

I feel sorry for those who live alone and don’t like being alone. Thankfully, my great friend just got a puppy.

Stay well! Anag.

[ZakICarey]

Sincerely, I'm not a fan of homemade cosmetics and sanitizer too. Because in house conditions I can overdo with proportions and harm my skin. It happened to me 2 weeks ago and I decided to buy a good and quality sanitizer. I've found one which is Ocean Elements Hand Sanitizer from arcreef.com/product/hand-sa.... And that one doesn't dry the skin and also contains aloe vera and vitamin E which are very beneficial for my smooth skin.