I love my disinfectant spray recipe but with winter coming soon, I was happy to learn you can make your own hand sanitizer in a gel versus a spray. I think this gives a nice coverage for your little ones. Stay healthy and stay away from toxic commercial anti-bacterial hand sanitizers which contain toxic chemicals like triclosan!
I am a huge fan of Thieves Oil. I love that I can use it in everything from homemade foaming hand soap to bug repellent bars and even internally (I drop some into a gel capsule) to fight colds! Powerful stuff!
Homemade Hand Sanitizer with Thieves Oil
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp aloe vera gel
- 1 Tbsp filtered water
- 1/8 tsp Vitamin E oil
- 5 drops Thieves Oil**
Equipment
You will need a small 2 oz. squeeze bottle – perfect for keeping in your purse or diaper bag.
Directions
Combine the aloe vera gel, vitamin E oil and the Thieves oil and add a bit of water to thin a bit. You want it to be thin enough to coat your hand.
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Further Reading from Around the Web
- Attend one of my Essential Oils 101 classes here!
- 10 Uses for Thieves Essential Oil
- Everyday Essential Oils: Thieves
- How To Buy Therapeutic Essential Oils
- 50 Uses For Essential Oils
More Thieves Essential Oil recipes here!
- Homemade Daily Shower Spray
- Kid-Friendly Squeezable Toothpaste
- Homemade Hand Sanitizer
- 6 Essential Oils for Colds and Flu
You don’t need to buy thieves’ oil. It’s cheaper to make it in bulk; just be sure to keep all of your oils on hand. Simply Google “Thieves’ Oil” to retrieve the recipe. It is very easy.
I personally find the blend very nice and less expensive than buying all of the ingredients alone. But I also get a discount…
Its costing more to by the oil then buying the hand sanitizer ..
You get what you pay for. I use Thieves in many ways – not just for this recipe. A whole bottle lasts a long time!
Can I just use another EO like tea tree?
I haven’t tried that. Maybe!
Water creates a breeding ground for bacteria – even distilled water…
The thieves oil likely kills any bacteria formed. I had a whole thread about this on this post: http://www.homemademommy.net/2013/07/easy-homemade-foaming-hand-soap.html
I am not worried about this issue after that whole thread!
Love this, will be ordering some thieves today!! Thanks so much:)
Awesome! You will love it!
Out of curiosity, could hydrogen peroxide be used as well (as the active ingredient)? It’s supposed to be a disinfectant and it’s super inexpensive.
I am an emt and used it on my clothes when I would get blood on the uniform. Works fabulous for that and doesn’t bleed color. That said, I would not use it in my hands as a casual disinfectant. A lot of people have reactions to h.p. It makes your skin burn and turn a white color. It’s not a chemical burn and it’s not the most painful thing, but for kids they would freak out. I do not use it directly on cuts either. I had an ER doc tell me it actually damages skin tissue. I did a little research on the issue and sure enough, not the best for open wounds. This recipe is a better, safer alternative. Hope this helps! 🙂
Is there anything I could substitute the vitamin E oil With? I ran out recently but am ready with everything else to make the sanitzer 🙂
I can’t think of anything else…
What about argan oil or grape seed oil, both nutrient filled great for skin oils, like Vitamin E oil?
What is Thieves oil? Or what is it made out of? Thanks!
Can you add other essential oils to the recipe to make “flavors”?
I don’t see why not!
I can’t wait to make this.I have my Thieves oil (which I love). Do you know for how long the mixture stays “fresh” and/or “potent”? Thanks!
I would think for at least a few months! I made the recipe a small batch for a reason. 🙂
I have made this before and felt concern about the aloe vera not being refrigerated once opened. Is that a concern? It can also be hard to find aloe vera that is organic, and without unfortunate ingredients added. Do you have a favorite brand, and how long do you store it for? Thanks!
The brand I link to is a good one. I didn’t refrigerate mine and I haven’t gotten sick or anything…
Is there anything I could sub aloe vera with?
Could I use their Longevity EO instead of Thieves? I don’t have Thieves but I do have Longevity. 🙂
Thank you so much for posting the Amazon links with the recipe… it makes shopping for the ingredients a no brainer!
I like to avoid chemicals, so this is interesting. Does anyone know how to make a solution like Jet Dry for an automatic dishwasher to make sure the glassware comes out spotless? I’d like to avoid buying these products.
I use vinegar in the jet dry dispenser of my dishwasher. Works great!
Thanks Lyndsay,
I was wondering instead of vitamin E oil could you use a touch of mineral oil which would act not only as the carrier oil but as a soft moisturizer?
Robin
I am not sure – I have not tried this.
Mineral oil is a petroleum byproduct, so if you’re looking to avoid icky ingredients, which I’m assuming you would if you are making your own hand sanitizer, then it’s not a great choice.
Where did you get your squeeze bottles?
So incredibly wonderful blog post! I really want to make this, but can not get Thieves oil where I live, so I thought I’d make it myself. But I see that it is used eucalyptus oil in it. I have heard that it is toxic if you get it in you. It was written that you could take a few drops in the mouth of Thieves oil for colds. Is it dangerous or have I misunderstood?
Great recipe! Could I use jojoba oil in place of vitamin E? What is the function of the Vitamin E? Jojoba I have on hand and it is closest to our skin’s natural oil.
I am using Vitamin E here as a preservative.
Hi Lindsey, love this idea!
I have Thieves oil and also the Thieves disinfectant spray which looks like it’s just the oil blend, coconut oil, alcohol and water. I wonder if adding half alcohol to your recipe could act as a longer lasting preservative. I’ll give it a go!
Hi! I love the recipe!! I will be making it very soon!! I had a question though.. I have an aloe plant and I was wondering if I could use the aloe gel from that? Would it need any natraul preservatives? Thanks!!
What are your thoughts on using Witch Hazel in place of distilled water? Thanks Lindsey!
I haven’t tried that. I am not sure…
I am new to EO’s so I don’t know much, but I was told not to use plastic containers. Are certain types ok? Thank you
Is this safe to use on babies? Especially when they start eating finger foods?\
I would but others might be more cautious. You can make a similar recipe with lemon for babies that might be more conservative on the baby usage side of things. Just make sure not to store it in plastic as the lemon essential oil will degrade the plastic. I have found the Thieves does not in my experience.
Its amazing to see home-made sanitizers instead of buying outside….Great recipes that are available at home itself. here…I follow the same at my home as anyway I used to grow aloe vera plants in my garden.