Here’s how to make your own hand sanitizer amid coronavirus shortages
Last week, CVS and Walgreens said that increased demand for hand sanitizer during the coronavirus outbreak could lead to a shortage, The Sacramento Bee previously reported.
Washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is the best way to protect against germs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Coronavirus has infected 241 people and killed 14 in the U.S. so far, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Amid the shortages, here’s how to make your own hand sanitizer and wipes.
Creating a solution with at least 60 percent alcohol, using either isopropyl or ethyl, and rubbing it on your hands will sanitize them, Miryam Wahrman, a biology professor at William Paterson University, told Business Insider.
“The bottom line is that alcohol is the active ingredient” in hand sanitizer, she said.
The CDC also recommends using a solution that’s 60 percent alcohol when hand washing isn’t possible.
The same goes for cleaning wipes. Take a tissue or paper towel and soak it in a solution that’s at least 60 percent alcohol, according to Business Insider.
What can you mix the alcohol with?
Most concoctions include mixing alcohol with aloe vera gel, says The Verge, which shares a recipe of 2/3 isopropyl alcohol with 1/3 aloe vera gel. Mix, and use. For best results, don’t wipe your hands dry after applying; let them dry naturally.
Oregon Live also suggests using the same ingredients, along with 8 to 10 drops of your favorite essential oil.
Tito’s has told people not to use their vodka after someone made their own hand sanitizer using the ingredient, according to CNN.
“Per the CDC, hand sanitizer needs to contain at least 60% alcohol,” Tito’s Handmade Vodka tweeted on Thursday. “Tito’s Handmade Vodka is 40% alcohol, and therefore does not meet the current recommendation of the CDC.”
This story was originally published March 2, 2020 at 6:11 PM with the headline "Here’s how to make your own hand sanitizer amid coronavirus shortages."