I’ve never been a big fan of hand sanitizers. The dirt just gets rubbed around, and the germs get zapped with a bunch of chemicals. I’ll just use soap, thank you very much. But with the swine flu, or H1N1 virus, hovering around, I admit I’ve resorted to slathering some of the stuff on when water wasn’t handy, even though it did leave me smelling like I’d had a three martini lunch. But when it comes to my kids, I really hate the idea of smearing them with rubbing alcohol and chemicals, so I’ve been exploring some natural alternatives.

Dancing Willow Herbs carries an antiseptic spray that contains lavender, peppermint, rosemary and tea. It does contain alcohol but you’d never guess it from the smell. It goes for about $10 a bottle.

Nature’s Oasis said they carry several different natural hand sanitizers. Durango Natural Foods doesn’t presently carry any but were inclined to consider it. I’m not sure about Natural Grocers but plan to swing by there later to check it out.

There’s also many options that can be ordered online. The one I found most frequently cited is CleanWell, which claims to kill 99.99 percent of harmful germs on contact with no toxic chemicals. Another, Clean George, touts all organic or natural ingredients and no alcohol. Instead it relies on the germ-fighting properties of peppermint, tea tree and manuka oils.

Or you can make your own. According to this New York Times article, cinnamon oil has been proven effective against fighting germs. A pediatrician quoted in the article extols the effectiveness of “thieves oil,” a blend of clove, lemon, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus and rosemary. The combination is so-named because it was said to have been discovered in the Middle Ages by graverobbers who used it to ward off the bubonic plague while completing their dasterdly deeds.

In the end, soap and water is still the most non-toxic, effective method out there for fighting germs, but it’s nice to have some natural alternatives in a pinch. (A detailed Q&A on this topic can be found on this “Green Living” blog).