Hand Sanitizer Recipe (Over 60% Alcohol) using 91% Isopropyl Alcohol
Alcohol-based hand sanitizer is useful when soap and water are not available. This recipe explains how to make a simple homemade hand sanitizer using 91% isopropyl alcohol and plain aloe vera gel.
For everyday hand hygiene, washing with soap and water is still the first choice, especially when hands are visibly dirty or greasy. When soap and water are not available, the CDC recommends using a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. This recipe is designed to finish above that minimum when measured accurately.
Homemade Hand Sanitizer Recipe Using 91% Isopropyl Alcohol
Recipe to Make 66% Alcohol Hand Sanitizer
This recipe makes a hand sanitizer with an approximate final alcohol concentration of 66.2% by volume. The extra margin above 60% helps account for careful measuring, mixing, and normal small variations when making a personal-use batch at home.
The most important part of this recipe is accurate measuring. If too much aloe gel, lotion, cream, or water is added, the finished alcohol percentage may drop below the recommended minimum. Do not guess or “eyeball” the recipe.
Before You Start
This recipe is for hands only. Do not use it as a household surface disinfectant, do not spray it into the air, and do not use it on pets, food, wounds, toys that may be mouthed by children, or surfaces that require a properly labeled surface disinfectant.
Isopropyl alcohol is not food grade alcohol and should never be swallowed. Finished hand sanitizer is not food, even when it is made at home. Store finished sanitizer out of sight and reach of children and pets. Do not package sanitizer in beverage bottles, food containers, or anything that could be mistaken for something drinkable.
Alcohol-based hand sanitizer is flammable. Mix and use it away from flames, sparks, pilot lights, cigarettes, candles, hot surfaces, and other ignition sources. Use it in a well-ventilated area and rub hands until completely dry before touching anything hot or doing anything that could create a spark.
Do not use methanol, fuel alcohol, denatured alcohol, or unknown industrial alcohols for homemade hand sanitizer. Methanol is not an acceptable ingredient in hand sanitizer and can be dangerous.
2 Step Homemade Hand Sanitizer Recipe, 66% Alcohol
Yield: About 11 fl oz hand sanitizer
Approximate final concentration after mixing: 66.2% alcohol by volume
Ingredients
- 8 fl oz 91% isopropyl alcohol
- 3 fl oz plain aloe vera gel
Optional Notes About Ingredients
Use plain aloe vera gel without added fragrance, glitter, colorants, or food-like scents. Avoid adding essential oils, perfumes, flavorings, or extra water. These additions may irritate skin, change the feel of the finished product, or make the sanitizer more attractive to children.
Do not substitute a different alcohol percentage unless the recipe is recalculated. This recipe is written specifically for 91% isopropyl alcohol.
How the Alcohol Percentage Is Calculated
The basic calculation is:
Pure alcohol volume ÷ total batch volume × 100 = final alcohol percentage
For this recipe:
8 fl oz × 91% = 7.28 fl oz pure alcohol
7.28 fl oz pure alcohol ÷ 11 fl oz total batch × 100 = 66.2%
If the total batch volume is increased by adding extra gel, water, lotion, or other ingredients, the final alcohol percentage will be lower.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: In a clean glass bowl, combine 8 fl oz of 91% isopropyl alcohol with 3 fl oz of plain aloe vera gel. Mix slowly with a whisk until the ingredients are fully combined. If the mixture becomes foamy, allow it to rest until the air bubbles settle.
Step 2: Transfer the finished hand sanitizer into a clean bottle or container with a tight-fitting lid. Plastic or glass bottles are preferred over metal containers. Label the bottle clearly as hand sanitizer and include “For external use only,” “Do not swallow,” and “Flammable.”
Congratulations!
Your homemade hand sanitizer is finished and ready to use when soap and water are not available.
How to Use Homemade Hand Sanitizer
Apply enough sanitizer to cover all surfaces of your hands. Rub hands together, covering palms, backs of hands, between fingers, fingertips, and around nails. Keep rubbing until your hands feel completely dry.
Do not rinse or wipe off hand sanitizer while it is still wet. Do not use hand sanitizer near your eyes. If hand sanitizer gets into the eyes, rinse carefully with clean running water and seek medical help if irritation, pain, redness, or vision problems continue.
Hand sanitizer does not work as well when hands are visibly dirty or greasy. In those situations, wash with soap and water instead.
Storage and Safety Tips
Store finished hand sanitizer in a cool, dry place away from heat, flames, sparks, and direct sunlight. Keep the lid closed when not in use to reduce evaporation. If alcohol evaporates over time, the sanitizer may become weaker.
Keep all isopropyl alcohol and finished hand sanitizer out of reach of children and pets. If someone swallows hand sanitizer or has a serious reaction after exposure, contact Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or seek medical help right away.
Can This Recipe Be Sold or Distributed?
This recipe is intended for small personal-use batches only. Hand sanitizers sold or distributed in the United States are regulated as over-the-counter drug products and must meet applicable FDA requirements. Do not use this home recipe for commercial manufacturing, resale, or public distribution.
Why the Alcohol Percentage Matters
Alcohol percentage changes the recipe math. A recipe written for 200 proof ethanol or 190 proof ethanol will not produce the same final alcohol percentage when made with 91% isopropyl alcohol. This recipe accounts for the water already present in 91% isopropyl alcohol so the finished hand sanitizer remains above the CDC’s 60% minimum recommendation when measured accurately.
