The misery of flu season is lamentably fully upon us and this year appears to be a particularly nasty one.  With myriad friends and family falling victim to this year’s buggers, I’m frantically reaching for the vitamin C, orange juice, and hand sanitizer to ward off my chances of catching it.  However, just as with many household products, hand sanitizer is infamous for including toxic chemicals.  Most mainstream hand sanitizers contain a highly toxic chemical called triclosan.  After triclosan was linked to liver and inhalation toxicity as well as thyroid function disruption in animals the FDA recently decided to reconsider allowing triclosan in personal care products.  That decision is currently being evaluated; however, until it is publicized we are on our own to replace this ubiquitous toxin with a non-toxic version.  

 

It is worth noting that a United States FDA advisory committee found that household use of antibacterial products – like hand sanitizer – provides no benefits over plain old soup and water.  However, there are often situations where access to soap and water isn’t feasible.  For those, I like to carry this DIY, non-toxic hand sanitizer.  It’s made with ingredients you may already have around the house or, if not, are easy to source at your local grocery store (I found all of these items in the organic food section of Fred Meyer).  Tea tree oil has been found in clinical studies to kill most types of bacterial at a concentration of 0.5-1%.  This recipe hits at a 0.5% so adjust accordingly to your preferences.  As an added bonus, the vitamin E will not only increase the shelf life of your mixture but it will also help to keep your hands moisturized in the dry winter air.

 

 

There are also several non-toxic hand sanitizer options on the market for purchase.  Try the Honest Company, EO, or Say Yes to Carrots.  Let me know if you try the recipe and stay healthy!