I have a confession to make…I bit the bullet and paid $29.98 for isopropyl alcohol. What can I say ⏤ desperate times call for desperate measures. Supermarkets, pharmacies and even liquor stores in my area have been out of alcohol for the past few months. And a girl has got to clean. So what choice did I have? If you get the urge like I did, I’ve linked the one I was able to get below. So what did I make with my beloved alcohol? Disinfecting wipes! But not just any disinfecting wipes… these puppies are chock-full of ingredients that are proven to fight viruses. Believe it or not, even the essential oils are powerful enough to fight viruses as well. Scroll down to learn how to make Lysol disinfecting wipes. And if just plain ol’ Lysol spray is more your speed, I got you!
About the ingredients and supplies
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Isopropyl alcohol
- An effective disinfectant
- Safe for multi-purpose use without any of the toxicity
- The higher the percentage, the more cleaning power ⏤ I’m using 99% here, but use what you have, or what you can find (just make sure it’s greater than 70%)
- If you are using less than 99% and need to figure out how to get the most effective end product as possible AND you enjoy math, here’s a powerful resource. But, only click it if you like math. You’ve been warned…
Hydrogen peroxide
- Considered the world’s safest, all-natural sanitizer & disinfectant
- Kills microorganisms through oxidation
- Acts as a germicidal, antibacterial and antiviral agent
Distilled water
- Best option for the cleanest Lysol disinfecting wipes possible
- If you don’t have distilled water on hand, filtered water is a close second
- But, distilled water doesn’t have any of the nasty chemicals found in tap water
Tea tree essential oil
- Is anti-bacterial, antimicrobial, antiseptic and antiviral
- Has purifying and cleansing properties
Eucalyptus essential oil
- Has ability to fight bacterial, viral and fungal infections
- Also widely used in products to fight foreign pathogens and different forms of infections
Lavender essential oil
- Has antibacterial, antimicrobial and anti-oxidant properties
- Has cleansing properties too!
- Not to mention that fresh, pleasant fragrance
Paper towel or fabric cloths
- Using paper towels makes these disposable wipes, using fabric cloths makes this a more eco-friendly option
- You could cut up an old t-shirt to make your wipes
- If using paper towels and an air-tight container similar to the one I used (linked here), 1 paper towel roll yields enough wipes to make this recipe twice
Air-tight glass container
- I love using glass containers for my DIY products, this specific container is linked here in case you want to buy one
- Making these DIY Lysol disinfecting wipes and other made-at-home products is a great way to lower your plastic usage and be more eco-friendly, since you are not only buying less products packaged in plastic, but also using more non-toxic ingredients. High five, Mother Earth!
How to make
- If you are going the eco-friendly route, grab an old t-shirt and cut it up into equal squares. You could also use a bunch of cleaning rags too
- Add them to your air-tight glass container
- If you are using a paper towel roll, use a serrated knife to cut it down to size, so that it will fit inside your air-tight glass container. Cutting a standard size paper towel roll in half fits perfectly inside my air-tight glass container (linked above)
- Add your modified paper towel roll into your air-tight glass container. You may need to squeeze it a bit to get it to fit
- Set your air-tight glass container aside
- In a separate mixing bowl, add 2 cups of isopropyl alcohol, 1/2 cup of distilled water and 2 tbsps of hydrogen peroxide
- Next, add 45 drops of essential oils. I chose 15 drops each of Tea tree, Eucalyptus and Lavender
- Give it all a stir to combine
- Pour the mixture into the air-tight glass container and saturate the wipes. If you used a paper towel roll, make sure also saturate the cardboard roll
- Close up your air-tight glass container and shake to combine
- Once all of the liquid has been absorbed, reach in and remove the cardboard roll. It should come out easily once it’s been saturated
- All done!
- After you’ve used all of the paper towels, (or after your cloth wipes are dirty, wash them and) remake as needed
- Store in a cool, dark place
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @LAurenrdaniels on Instagram and hashtag it #LAurenrdaniels
3 comments
I just ordered the 99% alcohol on amazon and it was down to $20 yesterday and now I’m rounding up the rest of the ingredients. I think the only thing I still need are the Viva paper towels!
That’s awesome! Stock up while you can!