With H1N1 rampant and cold season lurking, it’s easy to feel tempted to pick up an industrial size-bottle of antibacterial hand sanitizer and apply on the hour, but doing so may actually leave you exposed to even more intimidating bacteria. Antibacterial soaps and antibacterial hand sanitizers have been linked as a contributor to the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (the only thing worse than regular old bacteria).

Worse than the fact that antibacterial hand sanitizer and soap can actually breed the biggest, baddest bacteria is the fact that you don’t even need it. Many researchers have stated that regular soap,with thorough hand washing, is just as effective, and there are natural alternatives to antibacterial hand sanitizers that have received amazing results in lab tests. The best Mother Nature-based option? Cinnamon oil. Researchers have found cinnamon oil effective even in hospital settings and against infections as serious as strep and E. Coli.

One way to harness the germ-fighting powers of cinnamon oil for yourself is to use it to make your own hand sanitizing oil. Just mix a few drops of cinnamon oil, eucalyptus oil and lemon oil in a base of sweet almond oil and apply throughout the day like you would a moisturizer.

Another option for tapping into cinnamon to stave off infections is to pick up a mouthwash with cinnamon oil. We like Jason Natural Healthy Mouth mouthwash, which is alcohol free and will zap bad breath and fight oral infections.

Finally, try taking the sweet-smelling oil outside to battle bugs, mildew and fungus with Flower Pharm Organic Insecticidal Garden Soap (it’s safe for kids and an all-natural alternative to pesticides). Or, if it’s end-of-summer mosquitoes bugging you, use the cinnamon oil you used in your hand sanitizer in an aromatherapy diffuser—cinnamon oil is a natural mosquito repellent.

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