When an emergency happens, quickly the store shelves are stripped of fundamental supplies such as toilet paper and bottled water. Regardless of the type of emergency, instinct takes over and those unprepared already, hoard the basics for survival.
Disinfectants and personal care products are among the items to disappear quickly. In the pandemic start in 2020, disinfectant wipes were almost immediately unavailable to buy and did not return to store shelves for months. It is important to keep some on-hand in your emergency kit or storage pantry. And to keep your supply sustainable, it is even better to know now to make disinfectant wipes as you need them. DIY disinfecting wipes can be made easily from things you should have as part of your storage pantry – paper towels, dish soap and rubbing alcohol, white vinegar and/or bleach.
Use these emergency preparedness ideas to prep for more than survival, thrive because you have organized DIY solutions to keep yourself, your kids, your family safe and sound for months.
These DIY recipes for disinfecting wipes are quick and easy to make and could be real life-savers in a wide variety of emergency situations. The recipes for Do-It-Yourself (DIY) versions are below.
Recipes for DIY Disinfecting Wipes
For the strongest disinfection of surfaces, bleach is a good choice. Bleach is a very harsh material, so better to keep it to durable surfaces that require the highest need for sanitation.
Bleach Disinfecting Wipes, like Clorox Disinfecting Wipes
Materials
- 1 cup water
- 2 tsp bleach liquid bleach or pool powdered bleach
- 2 tsp dish soap
- 6 drops essential oil (optional for scent)
- 1 roll paper towels
Instructions
Make the solution
- Combine the water, bleach, dish soap and optional essential oil in the jar
- Seal the jar and shake gently to mix; store in the jar
Use the wipes
- Soak paper towels (or piece of fabric) in the solution mix inside the jar
- Remove the paper towel from the jar and wring it out to just moist enough, be careful to let the liquid drip back into the jar for future use
- Use the wipe to disinfect surfaces and bleach safe materials
Video
Notes
Perhaps the best disinfectant for a wide variety of uses are those made with rubbing alcohol. These can be used for disinfecting not only surfaces, but also for skin and personal care.
Alcohol Disinfecting Wipes, like Lysol Wipes
Materials
- 1 cup water
- 8 tsp rubbing alcohol (70% isopropyl alcohol) [or 6 tsp of 91% isopropyl alcohol]
- 2 tsp dish soap
- 6 drops essential oil (optional, for scent)
- 1 roll paper towels
Instructions
Make the Alcohol Disinfecting Wipes
- Combine water, rubbing alcohol, dish soap and optional essential oil into the jar
- Put the lid on the jar, gently shake the jar to mix ingredients, store sealed
Use the Wipes
- Soak the paper towels (or piece of fabric) in the solution mix in the jar
- Remove the paper towel from the jar and wring out until just moist enough, carefully allow the liquid to drip back into the jar for future use
- Use the wipe to disinfect surfaces, skin, wounds, etc.
Video
Notes
Over the long haul, having gentler disinfecting wipe options is important. White vinegar is an excellent cleaning agent for nearly everything in your household and any solid supplies you want to keep clean. White vinegar is very good at killing bacteria and other things that may degrade your health over time. In a pinch, these vinegar wipes can be used for your own bathing. It is very good for cleaning off sweat and killing the smelly bacteria that feed on it.
It can be beneficial to make these gentler disinfecting wipes in addition to the alcohol or bleach versions above.
Gentle Disinfecting Wipes, for bathing and hygiene
Materials
- 1 cup water
- 6 tsp white vinegar
- 2 tsp dish soap
- 6 drops essential oil (optional for scent)
- 1 roll paper towels
Instructions
Make the solution
- Combine the water, white vinegar, dish soap and optional essential oil in the jar
- Seal the jar and shake gently to mix; store in the jar
Use the wipes
- Soak paper towels (or piece of fabric) in the solution mix inside the jar
- Remove the paper towel from the jar and wring it out to just moist enough, be careful to let the liquid drip back into the jar for future use
- Use the wipe to disinfect surfaces, skin, wounds or to use as a bathing wipe
Video
Notes
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