How to make your own effective hand sanitiser, according to a germ expert

In the last three months sales of antibacterial gel Purell have spiked by 1,400 per cent.

Photos of decimated hand sanitiser supplies on supermarket shelves have been popping up online. There have even been reports of several Boots stores limiting the number of hand sanitisers customers can sell. But rather than battling the crowds, hand sanitiser is surprisingly easy to make.

Hand sanitiser works by killing germs. However, because it doesn’t actually wash the germs away, hot water and soap still remains the best defence against spreading bacteria and virus.

Scrubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds should rid your hands of any germs, dirt and debris. However, when you’re on the go giving your hands a good scrub is not always possible.

If you like to keep a small bottle of hand sanitiser in your handbag or next to the front door, skip the trip to Boots and instead make your own. All you need is four ingredients, plus a container:

What you’ll need

• Rubbing alcohol (Isopropyl alcohol)
• Aloe vera gel
• Lavender essential oil
• Tea tree essential oil
• Squeeze or spray bottle

1. Fill your bottle two-thirds of the way full with alcohol.

At least 60 per cent of the solution needs to be alcohol according to germ expert, Professor Miryam Wahrman at William Paterson University.

"The bottom line is that alcohol is the active ingredient. If you drop below 60 per cent, the effectiveness drops dramatically," she told Business Insider.

MORE: You need to make sure your hand sanitizer has this in order to protect against coronavirus

Dr David Agus, speaking to CBS News, agrees. "Homemade hand sanitisers are just as effective as what you buy as long as you use the right percentage of alcohol."

Isopropyl alcohol, known as rubbing alcohol, is best to use, according to CBS.

2. Add the essential oils

Add 10 to 15 drops of tea tree essential oil and lavender essential oil. Both oils have anti-bacterial properties as well as smelling amazing together. However, you can use any essential oil you like.

3. Top up with aloe vera gel

Fill the remainder of the bottle with aloe vera gel. The aloe vera will make the solution gentler on your skin but don’t overdo it or you’ll risk diluting the mixture.

4. Give it a mix

Simply shake the bottle and throw it into your handbag, ready for action.

Do exercise common sense when using your home-made sanitiser, however. For example, do not exposed hands to a naked flame and always do a patch test first to make sure your sanitiser doesn’t cause skin irritation.

You can also use a similar method to make your own homemade multi-purpose disinfectant for around the house.

Simply mix half a cup of vodka with half a cup of white vinegar, diluted with water together in a spray bottle. Then finish by adding 10 to 15 drops of lavender and tea tree essential oil.

From our sister site, Ideal Home