Product Swap: Hand Sanitisers

June 30, 2016September 7, 2020

Like to have a hand sanitiser handy? Well keep reading because these little bottles have quite a few nasties…but don’t worry, there are healthier options!

Anti-bacterial hand washes and hand sanitisers have become a must-have in so many households and I admit we have bought many over the years, especially when our kids were young.

However, I have been buying them a lot less these days and have now decided to ditch all the little bottles stashed around the house (and ban hubby from using them) replacing them with a healthier version.

I personally think we use anti-baterial products around the home too much these days but having some hand sanitisers in the house is useful.

What I have discovered lately is that there are so many options out there not packed full of chemicals – so no more grabbing for these little green bottles (or the other ones with similar ingredients) anymore. The scary thing is once I looked closely at the ingredients I can’t believe I ever thought buying them was a good idea!

So what’s in Dettol Healthy Touch Hand Sanitiser?

Denatured Alcohol which is methylated spirits which is a volatile and flammable alcohol, which is used in engine fuel. Need I say more!!
Propylene Glycol and PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer. Seriously how can they have this listed as an ingredient when you have no idea what it is!! It’s a compound of Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) which according to my Think Dirty app is a sad red face ingredient meaning best avoided!! Guess what they are both derived from too? Petroleum.
Acrylates which are linked with contact dermatitis, sensitisation, skin irritation, asthma, rhinitis.* How can you put an ingredient in a hand product thats linked to a skin condition like dermatitis?
Ethylenediamine which is a skin and respiratory irritant.
Lastly a few additives to hold it together and make it smell nice including “Fragrance” which can have issues of its own as this label can hide all sorts of chemicals.

Have I convinced you yet that you need a healthier option? Here are my suggestions.

One option I recently bought, pictured, is EO Lavender Scented Botanical Hand Sanitisers. These sanitisers contain sugar-cane ethanol which is a disinfectant but does no harm when absorbed by the skin and it uses a pure lavender essential oil for the fragrance. It’s triclosan-free, benzalkonium chloride-free, phthalate-free, paraben-free and synthetic fragrance-free. Win!

Another option I have just recently discovered is this Australian made Squeakie brand (below) which I am going to try next and is a great option to entice the kids to use!

There are actually quite a few healthy swap options – I list them HERE or you could make your own as suggested by The Wellness Mama.

These healthier options may be a bit more pricey than what we are used to paying but personally I think for the sake of our health it’s worth it – especially if you are letting kids use them!

I bought my EO bottles from Biome but I have seen them in my local health food stores. One of my favourite toxin-free online store Nourished Life also has a great selection and a guide on Natural Hand Sanitisers.

My next battle is weening off my 10 year old daughter from the Bath & Body works sweet-smelling version of these that I am sure will also contain some nasty toxins – they smell too good to be natural!

Tell me in the comments below, do you use hand sanitiser? Did you realise what it was made from? Will you make the switch? Tell me about the natural alternatives you discover!