Hand Sanitizer

[Kcryss]

I wonder if you can emulsify oil in alcohol? I assume the aloe is to make it a bit more skin friendly. If that isn't working well maybe a little shea or almond oil emulsified with ewax or an ecomulse type product would help? Never tried and not really finding a lot online about it either.

 

[lenarenee]

Thank you DeeAnna and others! The only thing I have to add is that most hospital based hand sanitizers are more typically 70-80% alcohol/volume. I feel much more comfortable with that percentage than the lower 60% advocated by all the sites. It may not be absolutely necessary, but in this instance, I would feel much more comfortable with a higher percentage. But thank you all for the links for the base for the sanitizers! You can use glycerin in a pinch if need be, but it is runnier.

Thank you for the link, Carolyn, I ordered a gallon. Hopefully before they sold out. $60 with shipping, but I can make and send some to my kids and family. Goes without saying that they are worth it.

I called Essentials by Catalina. Their product is lower than 70% alcohol. They won't say how much because its propietary.

 

[Obsidian]

I called Essentials by Catalina. Their product is lower than 70% alcohol. They won't say how much because its propietary.

Thats really shady of them, especially at this time. I'm really glad I didn't buy a gallon, came really close.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

@DeeAnna - as far as I can tell from reading various sources, the 60% alcohol minimum for a hand sanitizer is based on volume measurement, not weight. Do you agree? In a bit of a rush yesterday (and my soaping habits kicked in), I did my calculation for a 60% isopropyl alcohol and aloe vera mixture by weight. The density of 100% IPA is lower than water (at 25 C, 0.78 g/cm3 for IPA vs. 1.0 g/cm3 for distilled water). I didn’t try to find or calculate the density of 91% IPA, which would also be less than water. As a result, the alcohol is a higher percentage of my mixture by volume than it is by weight, right? Mostly I just want to confirm that the measurements are based on volume.

ETA: Getting pure aloe gel in my semi-rural county is not an immediate option. Here’s what I used. My mixture is thin and smells like isopropyl alcohol. I had a little bit of trouble mixing it, but smoothed it out with my frother/mini-blender. I had no complaints from a test group of about a dozen graduate students and others who gave it a try at a school social event last night.

 

[atiz]

Well, I ended up finding a couple of bottles of old hand sanitizer so didn't end up making one. But I'll probably do one tomorrow anyway just to try, and will report back on how it mixes with HA solution.

@Mobjack Bay, I think you're right, calculating by weight instead of volume should give you a higher percentage in volume. (Oh those poor grad students ;/)

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Thanks @atiz. Ha ha they all just smiled and went along with it . Plus, the color is a hit.

 

[lenarenee]

Thats really shady of them, especially at this time. I'm really glad I didn't buy a gallon, came really close.

It took 2 phones calls and and e-amail.com to get the information; I finally had to rephrase my question so I wouldn't get the rehearsed "proprietary" response. I finally posed it as such, "The CDC recommends an ethyl alcohol sanitizer with a strength of 70% or more; does your product qualify for that". Answer was no.

 

[yatyat]

on their PDF data sheet for the sanitizer, it lists alcohol content as 50-70%. Still not a definitely percentage but at least we know it's less than 70 ....

 

[lenarenee]

I wonder if it's possible to add some 150+ proof alcohol to their base...? Although....we won't know how much it will take to make a minimum of 70%.
I have one tiny bottle of 70% in the car, and one on our 12 year old's backpack. Heck....I wanted it just to help combat this month long virus everyone at her school is getting; ends up a little like mononucleosis and just drags on with the fatigue.

 

[yatyat]

I suppose you could assume they use the lowest % (50%) and then work backwards to figure out how much to add. Alcohol may be on the higher side which will be more effective for sanitizing but posibbly more drying, maybe keep a hand cream/lotion nearby to use afterwards.

 

[cmzaha]

I called Essentials by Catalina. Their product is lower than 70% alcohol. They won't say how much because its propietary.

Thats really shady of them, especially at this time. I'm really glad I didn't buy
a gallon, came really close.

But it is not sold as sanitizer and it is mentioned that they do not have the necessary certification for labeling as sanitizer. I only mentioned it is what I buy and use. Alcohol is 50 - 70 % according to their documentation. I will also mention I cannot use 70% alcohol on my hands and this one burns them up.

 

[Susie]

I plan to use some 91% to bring it up to at least 70% when I get it. I bought a box (six) a while back when a store was going out of business. At the time, I was making lots of lip balm and such and used a lot in the sprayer disinfecting equipment and tubes. So, I have a couple of bottles left.

 

[Zahara]

I made so many hand sanitizer for my cusyomers and it was so good and effective
Alcohol 96% ethanol
Aloe vera gel
Tea tree oil
Glycerin
Lavender essential oil

I made so many hand sanitizer for my cusyomers and it was so good and effective
Alcohol 96% ethanol
Aloe vera gel
Tea tree oil
Glycerin
Lavender essential oil

 

[atiz]

I made so many hand sanitizer for my cusyomers and it was so good and effective
Alcohol 96% ethanol
Aloe vera gel
Tea tree oil
Glycerin
Lavender essential oil View attachment 44359

These look really pretty!
I need to get on this handsanitizer project....

Well, I did make some finally, so just for the record, if anyone is looking for how to use up their hyaluronic acid....
Not very precise because I was lazy... but about 80% of 91% isopropyl alcohol, and the rest is a 1% HA solution and a few drops of lemon EO. This stuff is great, highly recommend if you have some HA lying around. The consistency is pretty liquidy as is, but it does not dry my hand *at all*, it actually feels nice.
I don't have any HA powder lying around any more, but if I had some, I would probably try it in higher concentration just to see if it helps with the consistency.

 

[DeeAnna]

Hi, @Mobjack Bay and all -- Yes, you are right -- the measurements should be by volume, not by weight. The percent alcohol by volume (ABV) will be quite a bit higher if you measure by weight than if you measure by volume. Better to have more alcohol than less, but the info needs to be accurate.

I overlooked this important point, and I will update my Soapy Stuff article and update the info I gave earlier in this thread. Thanks, Mobjack, for bringing it to my attention!

I haven't made the sanitizer, so I also appreciate the information about the aloe and alcohol not mixing well. That's one of those little but important things that the craft bloggers conveniently overlook in their desire to make everything effortless to make and beautiful to look at.

 

[sirtim100]

I made so many hand sanitizer for my cusyomers and it was so good and effective
Alcohol 96% ethanol
Aloe vera gel
Tea tree oil
Glycerin
Lavender essential oil View attachment 44359

@Zahara , could you give the percentages of the ingredients, please?

Many thanks

 

[DeeAnna]

I would not get too eager to start tweaking a sanitizer recipe by adding oils and emulsifiers.

The CDC article (https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/show-me-the-science-hand-sanitizer.html) makes a strong point of saying a hand sanitizer is not effective on dirty OR greasy hands.

Although I realize the author of the article is thinking about grease/fats/oils that gets on hands from everyday life, not fats intentionally added to the sanitizer, I am reasonably certain it doesn't matter where the fats come from. Fats occlude (coat) the skin and repel water-soluble ingredients, including alcohols. This oil coating can shield microbes on the skin from the effects of alcohol.

I have not seen any information proving an oil-based or emulsified product is an effective sanitizer, and that is probably why there's a dearth of reputable information on formulations like this.

I'd stick with what has been proven to work -- a water based product with 60% or more alcohol by volume.

A water-based soothing ingredient such as glycerin could be added to the sanitizer. And if needed, use lotion after sanitizing.

 

[cmzaha]

I just found the label fro EBC that came with the Hand Wash when it was sold as Sanitizer and the alcohol content is 62%, and the label is identical with the ingredient list on the product listed as Hand Wash. At one time it was sold as Hand Sanitizer and was manufactured for many of the large hotel chains. So I do apologize if I mislead anyone, but I am still not the least bit afraid of this product. Apparently this was before the facility had to be certified for OTC manufacturing.

Also, from what I am reading on the CDC site under Corona Virus is Sanitizer with at least 60% https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html

I will also add I do not make or sell sanitizer because I do not want someone who gets sick to come back and say my sanitizer did not work and try to sue me.

 

[KatiesDiddies]

I'm so excited I can FINALLY contribute some vetted/science info to this community. Preface: I'm not a medical expert, but I have discussed this extensively with both an epidemiologist and with a General Practitioner.
-CoronaVirus is an enveloped virus, meaning it has a gooey-slimey outer coating...an "envelope".
-60-70% total alcohol content is recomended to disinfect. This concentration allows water to permeate the "envelope" and deliver the alcohol inside to kill the cells.
-higher alcohol content (ie as low as 90%) actually hardens the gooey "envelope"...creating a "shell" that makes the virus harder to kill.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195670120300463

I'm am so greatful to the soapmakingforum. I have a few other medical papers that were published following the Wuhan response that I will link asap.

 

[Misschief]

Another member of SMF posted a link to an article about hand sanitizers on her FB feed. In the comments was a link to a document from the WHO, a Guide to Local Production of WHO Recommended Handrub Formulations.

https://www.who.int/gpsc/5may/Guide...Y76irrzsQpw-sAvDNYCCoVJM2eWbyMj0hGfXhYWsacjCA

Following their guidelines, I made some for myself using the following percentages:
83% Ethanol (Ethyl Alcohol or Denatured Alcohol)
4.25% Hydrogen Peroxide
1.75% Glycerin (calls for Glycerol)
11% Distilled Water

I made one cup of the sanitizer; it isn't a gel, it looks like water and the article recommends the addition of colorant so it isn't accidentally ingested. I chose not to add colour as it will be in my purse and I'll be the one using it. I have no intention of making it for sale.