When it comes to keeping germs away and staying healthy, one of the easiest and best things you can do for yourself is to have clean hands. This means washing your hands with a mild and gentle soap, not one with strong anti-bacterial agents. Sometimes, though, you aren't in a position to wash your hands after touching something that is likely germ-filled. And what about cleaning those surfaces that are filled with germs too?
The commercial hand sanitizers you see in the check-out aisle in stores, at the entrance of many stores, in every hospital room, and in people's homes when they have a new baby are simply not the path towards health, which is what you're trying to achieve by using them.
First, many contain an antibiotic compound called Triclosan, which the Environmental Working group, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and American Medical Association caution against using. It is linked to endocrine disruption, particularly thyroid function, as well as liver toxicity, just to name a few.
Second, using these gels and lotions may build resistance to antibiotics, which could promote resistance to bacteria. This means that by using these harsh chemicals, you may be lowering your own resistance to disease by killing off good bacteria (those that help protect you against bad bacteria). This means that your efforts to keep your hands clean in order stay healthy may actually do just the opposite and make it hard for your body to fight an infection when it really needs to!
Third, most sanitizers are stored in unsafe plastic and contain alcohol or Triclosan, which will leach the plastic into the product. Expose it to heat and you're likely to leach that plastic even faster! Plastic getting into the system is one of the major ways our health has been impacted over the last few decades.
Finally, there is usually a fragrance, of some sort, added to sanitizing gels and lotions. These are NOT pure essential oils. They are synthetic fragrances made in a lab and loaded with toxic chemicals. These contain phthalates, which are endocrine disrupters that mimic hormones and could alter genital development. Please also look out for parabens, which are used to preserve other ingredients and extend shelf life.
Remember, anything included to extend a product's shelf life will typically shorten your shelf life!
Uses
I use this Sanitizing Spray every single day, multiple times per day. The ingredients are extremely simple, effective and safe. The use for this goes way beyond just spraying on my hands. Here are just a few uses:
- I happily spray this on our son's hands without a second thought.
- I spray tables, high chairs, my steering wheel, shopping carts... you name it!
- This spray works beautifully as an air freshener. Definitely remove any synthetic air fresheners you have as those are known endocrine disrupters.
- Feeling a little stinky? This is a perfect deodorant!
- If you get a cut or scrape or your little one gets a booboo, this is the perfect thing to spray right on it! The ingredients are naturally antibacterial.
Recipe
You'll need:
- 1 oz spray bottle
- 1/2 teaspoon alcohol-free, fragrance-free witch hazel
- 5 drops Thieves Essential Oil
- 3 drops Purification Essential Oil
- filtered or distilled water
How to:
- Pour witch hazel into bottle.
- Add essential oils.
- Fill to top with water.
- Screw cap on tightly and shake.
Also, those commercial hand sanitizers smell gross. This one smells divine!
You can make this sanitizing spray as part of both The Basic Five and The MVL Bundle.
