Uploaded May 2020 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago

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Learn to Make A Sanitizing Hand Gel at Home with Carbomer 980
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Why bother to make a gel?

Having a gel hand sanitizer is advantageous because it is less likely to drip off your hands and ruin your surfaces (such as a varnish), it is easier to spread, and feels more like the hand sanitizer we are all used to. It is also satisfying to make; you will understand the feeling the first time you add your triethanolamine (more to come on that

One Caution:

There are a lot of videos on this subject which the end product makes a hand sanitizer which is too weak. Every time a liquid is being added to the solution, the alcohol is being diluted. The bare minimum alcohol / volume concentration is 60% but the CDC recommends 70%. This recipe makes about 75% strength alcohol. The backbone of this recipe was strongly influenced by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended recipe.

What supplies do we need to get started?

⭢95% alcohol (at least 400 ml). Ex. Graves 190 Proof Grain Alcohol
⭢ Distilled Water
⭢ 3% Hydrogen Peroxide: amzn.to/3erBcwb
⭢ Anhydrous vegetable glycerin: amzn.to/3emweAV
⭢ Essential oil (optional): amzn.to/2XbUNJb
⭢ Carbomer 980: amzn.to/36egaNU
⭢ Triethanolamine (sold by FloridaSunshineProducts.com): bit.ly/3bNk3uo

What is the equipment?

⭢ 500-gram scale: amzn.to/2yhOxab
⭢ Magnetic Bar Stirrer: amzn.to/3e2IxRT
⭢ 600 ml glass beaker: amzn.to/3bUpTdK
⭢1 ml syringe: amzn.to/3e45HHD
⭢ Dropper (an alternative to the 1 ml syringe): amzn.to/2WLLeBy
⭢ 30 ml measuring cup: amzn.to/36ioKes
⭢ Plastic wrap: amzn.to/3g9I8yO
⭢ Manual mixing device (I used a clean spoon)
⭢ Dispenser bottles: amzn.to/2LLZeVA

Part 1: How To make the LIQUID HAND SANITIZER
Starts at 00:45

⭢ Obtain a 600 ml beaker
⭢ Add 400 ml of 190 Proof (95%) alcohol
⭢ Add 75 ml of distilled water (to dilute the alcohol)
⭢ Add 20 ml of 3% hydrogen peroxide (used to clean the solution and the beaker, not for hand anti-sepsis)
⭢ Add 5 ml of anhydrous vegetable glycerin (acts as a humectant)
⭢ OPTIONAL: Add a few drops of essential oil (if making a gel you can add this in a later step as well)
Liquid Hand Sanitizer COMPLETE: Add to a clean dispenser bottle and let it sit for 72 hours per the recommendation of WHO (so it can self-cleanse).

Part II: How to make the CARBOMER GEL?
Starts at 04:05

⭢ Use your scale, zero out a container, and weigh your solution. 500ml weighed 400 grams. (This is not shown in the video)
⭢ Use your scale again, zero out a container to weigh your Carbomer 980. 0.5% Carbomer is recommended. We will need 2 grams of Carbomer 980.
⭢ One fact: Carbomer needs to be added to a solution with a pH below 6.0, you can check your solutions pH with litmus paper, however, this is already verified so you do not need to do this step.
⭢ Before adding your carbomer, increase your magnetic bar stirrer to full mixing power. Then slowly add your carbomer powder avoiding any large clumps.
⭢ Once all your carbomer is properly added to your solution consider covering your beaker with plastic wrap, and let it mix for about 15 minutes. The goal is to have the carbomer fully dissolve and be mixed into your solution evenly without clumps. ** Note ** This step is somewhat optional depending on your technique / how careful you were in the prior step.
⭢ Now we need to “hydrate” the carbomer. To do this the pH needs to now be INCREASED to the range of 6.0 to 7.5. To do this, we add Triethanolamine also known as TEA or TEOA.
⭢ ** NOTE ** Once you add the triethanolamine you cannot add anything else to your solution. If you have not already added your essential oil (optional) for fragrance this is a good time. I typically use 4 to 6 drops of Bergamot.
⭢ Add 0.15 ml of triethanolamine or approximately 1 drop with a dropper to your solution. Manually mix if needed until the solution thickens into a gel. Turn off your mixer and let it sit for a few minutes so the carbomer can fully “hydrate”.
⭢ Now you can add your gel hand sanitizer to your dispenser bottle, let it sit for 72 hours per WHO recommendation (to self-cleanse), and you are done!

Following these instructions will allow for you to make a clear, thick, non-tacky Hand Sanitizer gel which is 75% alcohol per volume. Always remember to properly label your bottles and make this at your own risk. This information is for educational purposes and does not constitute professional advice.

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