Use, when needed, to sanitize hands by spraying over all surfaces of hands and rubbing together to completely cover them.
For hand sanitizer gel
Weigh out the water and the carbopol. Mix them together until the carbopol is fully dissolved in the water.
Add the alcohol and mix.
Add the triethanolamine to raise the pH. This allows the carbopol mixture to gel.
Add glycerin and essential oils.
Pour the gel into a bottle with a flip-top cap, silicone travel tube, or pump bottle for easy dispensing.
Video
Notes
Isopropyl or ethyl alcohol can both be used. Use a pharmaceutical or cosmetic grade alcohol (not one that has been denatured with methanol).If using a 70% alcohol, don't add the water. Use 95g alcohol to 5g glycerin. We want to make a spray that has at least 60% alcohol for it to be effective at killing germs. If hands are soiled, ideally wash with soap and water first. (You can also use wipes.)Hand sanitizers can be used when you don't have access to soap and water. To increase their effectiveness, make sure they stay in contact with the skin for at least 15 seconds. If the spray has evaporated away before that time, respray and rub all over hands again.Essential oils are optional in this recipe, but they do add fragrance and may also have some antimicrobial properties of their own. Tea tree oil, lavender, and citrus oils are common choices. You can use one or a combination of oils. Glycerin is also optional, but it's a humectant that helps keep your skin from drying from the alcohol.