Beware of DIY Hand Sanitizer Recipes

As helpful as essential oils can be for supporting our emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing, we must be realistic and respect that essential oils cannot do everything. I've been working with essential oils for over 20 years. One of the reasons I felt compelled to create AromaWeb is so that I could do my best to share accurate, objective information about essential oils. Even back when I started AromaWeb in 1997, there was a heavy amount of misinformation about essential oils online.

At the time that I am writing this, there has been no reputable testing done regarding the effectiveness of any essential oil against the coronavirus COVID-19.

The CDC specifically recommends that "If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry." [Reference: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Steps to Prevent Illness. Accessed: March 12, 2020.]

Please be extremely careful when considering to rely upon DIY hand sanitizer recipes that you find online or in books. Many are not going to be effective in killing viruses or bacteria. COVID-19 is not something to guess about. Be careful of those that claim or that assume that particular essential oils are effective against COVID-19.

For More Information About the Risks and Hazards of DIY Hand Sanitizers:

Kayla Fioravanti is an experienced and well respected aromatherapy educator and author. She co-founded Essential Wholesale in 1998, and she has extensive experience in professionally formulating aromatherapy and personal care products. Kayla has written a very clear and detailed post about The Dirty Truth About DIY Hand Sanitizer Recipes.