Hand Sanitiser (WHO Formula)
Can’t find hand sanitiser at your local supermarket or pharmacy? You’re not alone. My local shops sold out weeks ago. Fortunately, hand sanitiser is easy and inexpensive to make right at home. I made a batch this morning, from a recipe that is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Fortunately, I was found a scaled down version (by science geek G. Chang) for home use.
The mixture is not as thick as commercial hand sanitisers, so you can use it in a spritzer bottle too.
To make 1 1/3 cups of hand sanitiser, mix up the following in a 2-cup glass measure:
Ingredients
1 cup 99% Isopropyl alcohol OR 1 cup plus 4 teaspoons 91% Isopropyl alcohol
1 tablespoon 3% hydrogen peroxide
1 teaspoon vegetable glycerine
Boiled and cooled tap water (bring tap water to a rolling boil for 1 minute and cool)
Instructions
Tip the alcohol, peroxide and vegetable glycerine into a 2-cup glass measure. Then add enough water to bring the total quantity to 1 1/3 cups. Mix well.
Pour, via funnel, the sanitiser into small ("travel-size") bottles. I used squeeze-type bottles, but spritzer, or spray-type bottles are ideal.
Another Note: The Department of Health recommend hand washing with soap and water is sufficient, providing we scrub thoroughly (including our fingernails) for at least 20 seconds. You can watch this video recommended by the Australian Department of Health.
Still, there are times when you don’t have access to soap and water. Like when you are forced to eat in your car, after stopping by your favourite donut shop. (Mea culpa). Or, when the restaurant bathroom has run out of soap, or the bathroom is so gross that you wouldn’t dream of washing your hands there anyway. Yeah, bottles of hand sanitiser are convenient at times.
If you can’t get the ingredients from your local grocery store, I’ve added a few suppliers (not affiliated) below.
Vegetable glycerine from Melrose: is an Australian owned company well worth supporting. Added bonus; organic ingredients.
IPA Technical Grade (required) 99.997% Isopropyl/Rubbing Alcohol: if purchasing from your local grocery store, make sure the grade 91% or greater.
Food grade hydrogen peroxide 3%: can be purchased at your local chemist, or grocery store. Stocks may be low, so call first.
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