The other day, I visited my best friend in the hospital. She had surgery for ruptured discs and although the operation went well, I still wanted to stop by and see her. We visited during my lunch hour then I left to go back to work. Once I got in the car, I realized I hadn’t washed my hands. I am probably not as fanatical about washing my hands as I probably should be, but for some reason, I always feel incredibly germy after leaving the hospital.
I was afraid I’d stick my fingers in my mouth unconsciously, so I reached into my purse and grabbed my hand sanitizer.
(This Image was released by the United States Navy with the ID 040317-N-7408M-004.)
But, that may not be such a great alternative to washing. Many over-the-counter hand sanitizers contain triclosan, a chemical that’s safety is being investigated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA is conducting studies to see if triclosan affects our endocrine systems and to see if it helps create bacteria that can resist antibiotics.
Right now, the FDA says triclosan is not known to be hazardous to our health, but the agency cautions people who are concerned to wash their hands with soap and water. Well, if you could do that, you probably wouldn’t be using hand sanitizer anyhow!
The whole debate over triclosan is pretty scary. But, you can make your own hand sanitizer at home. You will need a plastic bottle, a bowl, a spoon (or something to stir with), a funnel, 2/3 cup of 99% rubbing alcohol and 1/3 cup of aloe vera gel. Just mix the ingredients in the bowl then pour them into the bottle. It’s so easy that even the kids can help make it!
And, you can add your own essential oil to make it smell good. Add 8 to 10 drops of lavender, vanilla, peppermint, chamomile, Eucalyptus, or Lemongrass to help clean your hands and improve your mood with aromatherapy.