Making your own hand sanitizer is easy to do and only requires a few ingredients:

• isopropyl or rubbing alcohol (99 percent alcohol volume)
• aloe vera gel
• an essential oil, such as tea tree oil or lavender oil, or you can use lemon juice instead

The key to making an effective, germ-busting hand sanitizer is to stick to a 2:1 proportion of alcohol to aloe vera. This keeps the alcohol content around 60 percent. This is the minimum amount needed to kill most germs.

Dr. Rishi Desai, chief medical officer of Osmosis, and a former epidemic intelligence service officer in the division of viral diseases at the CDC, says that the hand sanitizer recipe below will kill 99.9 percent of germs after 60 seconds.

If you are making hand sanitizer at home,  adhere to these tips:

• Make the hand sanitizer in a clean space. Wipe down counter tops with a diluted bleach solution beforehand.
• Wash your hands thoroughly before making the hand sanitizer.
• To mix, use a clean spoon and whisk. Wash these items thoroughly before using them.
• Make sure the alcohol used for the hand sanitizer is not diluted.
• Mix all the ingredients thoroughly until they are well blended.
• Do not touch the mixture with your hands until it is ready for use.

For a larger batch of hand sanitizer, the World Health Organization (WHO)Trusted Source has a formula for a hand sanitizer that uses:

• isopropyl alcohol or ethanol
• hydrogen peroxide
• glycerol
• sterile distilled or boiled cold water

Two things to be aware of when using hand sanitizer is that you need to rub it into your skin until your hands are dry. And, if your hands are greasy or dirty, you should wash them first with soap and water.

With that in mind, here are some tips for using hand sanitizer effectively.

1. Spray or apply the sanitizer to the palm of one hand.
2. Thoroughly rub your hands together. Make sure you cover the entire surface of your hands and all your fingers.
3. Continue rubbing for 30 to 60 seconds or until your hands are dry. It can take at least 60 seconds, and sometimes longer, for hand sanitizer to kill most germs.

According to the CDCTrusted Source, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that meets the alcohol volume requirement can quickly reduce the number of microbes on your hands. It can also help destroy a wide range of disease-causing agents or pathogens on your hands, including the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.

However, even the best alcohol-based hand sanitizers have limitations and do not eliminate all types of germs.

According to the CDC, hand sanitizers won’t get rid of potentially harmful chemicals. It’s also not effective at killing the following germs:

• norovirus
• cryptosporidium (which causes cryptosporidiosis)
• clostridium difficile (also known as C. diff)

Also, a hand sanitizer may not work well if your hands are visibly dirty or greasy. This may happen after working with food, doing yard work, gardening, or playing a sport.

If your hands look dirty or slimy, opt for hand washing instead of a hand sanitizer.

Knowing when it’s best to wash your hands, and when hand sanitizers can be helpful, is key to protecting yourself from the novel coronavirus as well as other illnesses, like the common cold and seasonal flu.

While both serve a purpose, washing your hands with soap and water should always be a priority, according to the CDC. Only use hand sanitizer if you soap and water isn’t available in a given situation.

It’s also important to always wash your hands:

• after going to the bathroom
• after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• before eating
• after touching surfaces that could be contaminated

The CDC lists specific instructionsTrusted Source on the most effective way to wash your hands. This is what they recommend:

1. Always use clean, running water. (It can be warm or cold.)
2. Wet your hands first, then turn the water off, and lather your hands with soap.
3. Rub your hands together with the soap for at least 20 seconds. Make sure to scrub the back of your hands, between your fingers and under your nails.
4. Turn the water on and rinse your hands. Use a clean towel or air dry.

Hand sanitizer is a handy on-the-go way to help prevent the spread of germs when soap and water isn’t available. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can help keep you safe and reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus.

If you are having a hard time finding hand sanitizer at your local stores, you can take steps to make your own. You only need a few ingredients, such as rubbing alcohol, aloe vera gel, and an essential oil or lemon juice.

Although hand sanitizers can be an effective way of getting rid of germs, health authorities still recommend hand washing whenever possible to keep your hands free of disease-causing viruses and other germs.