Recent studies show that modern commercial household cleaners are causing serious health issues for individuals and their families. The Country Almanac of Housekeeping Techniques That Save You Money (Fair Winds Press, 2012) by Richard Freudenberger and the editors of Back Home Magazine shows you how to keep a clean and healthy home for just pennies a day. Using a collection of formula for effective cleaning, gardening and home maintenance. Don’t just clean your household, get the longest life out of every item. The following excerpt explains how to make your own hand cleanser.
This recipe is not a substitute for cleaning solutions as recommended by the CDC. Please follow the CDC’s protocol on handwashing and disinfecting solutions to protect against COV-19 if absolute sterilization is required.
How To Make Your Own Hand Cleanser
Cost savings
You’ll spend about equal, but win by making a healthy alternative to drying commercial cleansers.
Benefits
This moisturizing hand-cleanser contains no alcohol like off-the-shelf varieties.
Pocket-size gel hand cleansers are handy for on-the-go “cleanup,” but these formulas are drying, costly, and contain 60 to 90 percent alcohol. Why rub a formula on your hands that is potentially toxic before you eat? The risk elevates for mothers who carry cleansers to clean children’s hands. The good news: You can make your own safe, affordable hand cleansers.
Witch hazel, tea tree oil, and peppermint have antiseptic and astringent properties. They’re great germ killers. Aloe vera will prevent the skin from drying out—a welcome alternative to commercial cleansers that leave hands parched.
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A mixture of 7 parts Straight Grain Neutral Spirits (aka Ever Clear - 95% ethanol) to 3 parts of your mixture will get most of the benefits of your mixture plus the benefit of about 65% ethanol, which is a comfortable level for proper viral disinfection. Essential oil of Lavender can be substituted for the Peppermint for a less pungent alternative. (An Old Country Doctor, now retired, with access to the knowledge of an Herb Woman.)
According to the CDC, "Many studies have found that sanitizers with an alcohol concentration between 60-95% are more effective at killing germs than those with a lower alcohol concentration or non-alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Hand sanitizers without 60-95% alcohol 1) may not work equally well for many types of germs; and 2) merely reduce the growth of germs rather than kill them outright." If you cannot afford to risk your own health or that of your loved ones, do not depend on witch hazel, peppermint oil or tea tree oil to kill the novel coronavirus. In my opinion, it is misleading and irresponsible of Mother Earth News to publish the recipe it has just shared.
Please use an alcohol based hand sanitizer. Tea tree oil has not been shown to be valid at killing viruses according to https://www.rutgers.edu/news/best-ways-kill-coronavirus-your-home While hand sanitizer is rough on the hands, itĆ¢ĀĀs better than using something that may not work. If you want to make it at home, use: 2/3 90% or higher rubbing alcohol 1/3 aloe vera
Hi there, this appears to be posted as a hand sanitizer effective against the coronavirus. I am concerned. There is no 70%alcohol in here. Do you have evidence that tea tree will kill the virus? Or any other ingredients? Many people have faith in Mother Earth and this email concerns me.
Witch hazel does contain alcohol (approx 14%). MUCH less than commercial sanitizers, but I'm not sure if it's enough to destroy the virus.
Alcohol attacks and destroys the envelope protein that surrounds some viruses, including corona viruses. This protein is vital for a virusĆ¢ĀĀs survival and multiplication. But a hand sanitizer needs to be at least 60% alcohol in order to kill most viruses. According to Dr Stephen Morse, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University, DIY sanitizer is Ć¢ĀĀabout as effective as using soap and waterĆ¢ĀĀ when made correctly. Ć¢ĀĀWe know it works - just make sure it has enough alcohol on it,Ć¢ĀĀ he said. To make hand sanitizer, you need Isopropyl alcohol, known as rubbing alcohol, aloe vera gel, a bowl, a spoon, a funnel, and either a spray bottle or liquid soap container, according to CBS. The first step is pouring Ć¢Ā Ā cup of alcohol and Ć¢Ā Ā cup aloe vera, which will make the sanitizer easier to apply, into the bowl and mixing well. Once the mixture is blended, you can use the funnel to pour the mixture into containers. If you want to mask the scent of alcohol, you can add 5 to 10 drops of essential oil such as lavender, according to the outlet.
Witch hazel does contain alcohol (approx 14%). MUCH less than commercial sanitizers, but I'm not sure if it's enough to destroy the virus.
According to the CDC, "Many studies have found that sanitizers with an alcohol concentration between 60-95% are more effective at killing germs than those with a lower alcohol concentration or non-alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Hand sanitizers without 60-95% alcohol 1) may not work equally well for many types of germs; and 2) merely reduce the growth of germs rather than kill them outright." If you cannot afford to risk your own health or that of your loved ones, do not depend on witch hazel, peppermint oil or tea tree oil to kill the novel coronavirus. In my opinion, it is misleading and irresponsible of Mother Earth News to publish the recipe it has just shared.
It's the alcohol that makes hand sanitizers effective. PLEASE do your research before publishing something like this that is more harmful than helpful. You will give people a false sense of security. Hand sanitizers need to be at least 60% alcohol to be effective. Read the research!
This is NOT comparable. I am very disappointed in MENews for publishing this, as it leads people to a false sense of safety. DO YOUR RESEARCH before publishing!!! Hand sanitizers MUST be at least 60% alcohol to be effective. This recipe also does not include strongly antiviral essential oils, simply one antimicrobial.
It's the alcohol that makes hand sanitizers effective. PLEASE do your research before publishing something like this that is more harmful than helpful. You will give people a false sense of security. Hand sanitizers need to be at least 60% alcohol to be effective. Read the research!
Unless scientifically proven to kill covid-19 it is irresponsible to publish something like this.
Suggesting this is equivalent to an alcohol-based sanitizer with ethanol or isopropyl alcohol implies it is effective at deactivating the coronavirus or perhaps flu. Without concrete evidence this is irresponsible to assert if not reckless. While tea tree oil may have antiseptic properties, including it at a level that would be efficacious here might also be damaging to skin, and therefore no better and perhaps worse than alcohol. Just throwing tea tree oil, witch hazel, and peppermint at the problem without knowing the right amount to use and even if it's effective (what duration of exposure is needed?) is as noted, reckless and ignorant.
Must have the alcohol to kill the virus. However, none is commercially available at the big box stores. Aloe Vera is an excellent additive to homemade sanitizers using alcohol substitutes. Keep in mind - fresh aloe only lasts about a week in the refrigerator. Regardless of the creative alternatives to store-bought, using lots of hand soap makes a huge difference!
Until you have clinically documented the efficacy of this mixture, it is irresponsible to post this publicly, misleading people to believe they can use this in place of validated hand sanitizers. You don't know that this will kill the coronavirus.
Unless this mix is proven effective against the coronivirus it's flagrantly irresponsible to be publishing it at this time. People using this mix will have a false sense of security thereby increasing the risk of transmission. PLEASE DO NOT use this mix instead of alcohol-based hand sanitizer during the coronivirus emergency measures! Shame on the editors for publishing misleading or unsubstantiated information relating to a medical crisis. Lives are at risk.
This is not strong enough. You need Everclear alcohol 190 proof which is 95% alcohol, Organic Aloe Vera gel, Essential Oils of Lavender, Peppermint, and Tea Tree Oil. Vodka is not strong enough and isopropyl alcohol causes liver flukes. Therefore, the general antiseptic wipes in stores are toxic. Recipe: Pour into your container with 70 to 80 % Everclear 10-15 drops of each Essential Oil Fill the rest of the container with the Organic Aloe Vera gel Shake it and allow it to sit for 72 hours for maximum strength.
We've been warned that unless a sanitizer has a high percentage of alcohol (over 60%) it is not effective against COVID-19. This is one time to follow medical guidelines. Use a lotion afterwards to keep from drying out or use a gentle soap and water and scrub for 20 seconds. I work at a hospital and am bombarded with info and guidelines to follow and I'm paying attention.
CDC STATES 70% Alcohol based sanitizers required to combat Covid-19 type viruses https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/infection-control/hcp-hand-sanitizer.html
sunlight and fresh air- natural antiviral treatment https://medium.com/@ra.hobday/coronavirus-and-the-sun-a-lesson-from-the-1918-influenza-pandemic-509151dc8065
Exactly, John. Shame on you MotherEarth for putting this article out during the pandemic. Now is the time for medical and scientific facts, not DIY hacks.
Could you add 60 or 90% alcohol to this formula?
Do you know for sure that this formulation is antiviral? If you are wrong you are doing the population a great disservice and possibly putting people at risk.. there is some evidence that the ingredients alone are antiseptic. However, I donāt believe the formula is potent enough to kill a virus
without alcohol I would say is not equivalent to store bought against coronavirus. Has to have a percentage of alcohol -estimate >60% amount to cause the envelope around the virus to be destroyed, hence killing it.
Is this comparable to store bought and help against coronavirus? Please answer ASAP.
Wow, I would really like to try this. I wonder if there is any data about how effective this mix is compared to the commercial goop? Anybody out there with a microscope and some petri dishes (or whatever you would use) who might be able to take a look?