Hey Guys,

We know our Bubblers like to do some DIY, so that's why we're breaking down and sharing the World Health Organizations' DIY hand sanitizer recipe for you in this blog post.

As a quick aside, please do not purchase any "handmade" hand sanitizer that contains aloe or essential oils. As much as we love these ingredients in other therapeutic instances, they really have no place in fighting a virus we know very little about and can actually be quite damaging. Read more on that here and here. So, leave your favourite essential oils for your diffusers and soaps, and leave them be for your hand sanitizer.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

(Total recipe = 500ml) 

- 99.8% Isopropyl Alcohol: 375.75ml

- 3% Hydrogen Peroxide: 20.85ml

- 98% Glycerol (or Glycerin): 7.25ml

- Sterile distilled or boiled cold water: 96.15ml

- 500ml container with screw-threaded top (Mason jar works great!)

- Glass measuring cup

- Small medicine cup

- Plastic or metal funnel (Optional if you have a steady hand)

- Plastic or glass travel containers to fill solution with.

*I used gloves for parts of this, but so long as your hands and counter are clean and you have no scrapes (owe!), this is optional.*

HOW TO MAKE IT:

1) Pour the alcohol into the 500ml sterilized container using your large measuring cup.

 

2) Add your hydrogen peroxide using the small medicine cup.

 

3) Add glycerol or glycerin (this is quite thick - I used a clean butterknife to get it out) using the same small medicine cup. 

4) Add your sterile distilled or cold boiled water using your large measuring cup.

 

5) Place the lid on the container ASAP to prevent evaporation and mix the solution by gently shaking it.

 

6) Immediately divide up the solution into its final containers using your funnel. Place the bottles in quarantine for 72 hours before use. This allows for any spores present in the alcohol or the bottles to be destroyed.

SAFETY:

- Avoid contact with eyes

- For external use only

- Keep out of reach of children and pets

- Keep away from flame and heat as it is a flammable substance

VOILA! Your W.H.O. approved hand sanitizer for personal use!  

Quick reminder; do NOT add to or alter the recipe. This product is intended to sanitize so let's not jeopardize functionality by adding, substituting or altering volumes of ingredients.

Hand sanitizers need to have a high alcohol content, which is naturally drying to the skin. To keep our hands nice and hydrated, we use natural soaps during washing and our favourite soothing cream prior to bed to allow for deep skin penetration. We have many health care providers and those with eczema/psoriasis who swear by our Calendula Soothing Skin Salve for anyone experiencing cracks, chaps and scales.

And don't forget, sanitizer does not replace your soap for cleansing! But it does work really well when soap and water aren't available ;)

- Judith Sweeney

Have questions? Please reach out to us at info@bubblesandbalms.ca.

Click here to view the full PDF file from the World Health Organization.