Wash your hands!!! How many times have you told your kids that? From the time my kids wake up in the morning until they go to bed at night i am constantly reminding them to sanitize themselves. Why is it so hard to remember to do so after using the potty for a three year old?!?!
Well for starters the faucet is impossible for such little fingers to manuver. To remedy this prediciment I have started looking into hand sanitizers, you know, the waterless kind that you simply squirt on and rub in. Though not a thorough cleansing it does the job until I can start the dryer and make the trek from the basement up to help them do it properly.
Sadly though I have seen the news reports of kids becoming deathly sick from ingesting commercial products due to the alcohol they are made from, and I also get concerned because if you are killing bacteria (a good thing right?) and humans are made from and actually thrive on bacteria what else are we actually killing?
I found a fabulous recipe for an all natural hand sanitizer that you can tweak to suit your own preferences, remember this is not to take the place of regular handwashing but it does help out in those situations where you need a quick clean.
What you need to get started:
100% pure aloe vera gel
witch hazel
tea tree oil
peppermint oil
Then to create it just:
Add 1 cup of pure aloe vera gel into a bowl
Slowly mix in 1-2 teaspoons of Witch Hazel. (you do not want the consistency of the gel to become too thin)
Add 3-4 drops of tea tree essential oil, and 3-4 drops of peppermint essential oil.
Slowly stir ingredients together.
(If you find the consistency to be too thin, add more aloe vera gel a teaspoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency)
Store in any desired container and use as you would any other hand sanitizer
*The ingredients in this mixture are safe and natural to use on your body. witch hazel, tea tree oil and peppermint all have antiseptic and astringent properties to them, which make them great for killing germs and also healing small cuts and wounds. The aloe vera gel will help soothe skin and keep skin from drying out
**Tips & warnings
You can add other scented essential oils to the mixture for a more pleasant scent such as lavender oil or rose oil and if you find the tea tree oil and peppermint oil scent to strong, use lesser amounts
Witch hazel and tea tree oil can cause excessive dryness in people with sensitive skin, if you find this occurring, limit the use of your sanitizer to a few times a day
I send my kids to school with a small container in their backpacks and keep pumps in each bathroom.
Stay fresh and have a fabulous week!!!
