Zero Waste- DIY Disinfectant Wipes

Back in 2020, people frightened of Covid, were snatching up hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes in bulk. Old habits die hard. Single-use wipes, while convenient in the moment, suck for several reasons. Instead, wash your hands!! Do this for at least 20 seconds- most people do not wash long enough to kill germs. Or try our DIY wipes below. 

As for disinfectant wipes, they are SO incredibly wasteful, are packed full of chemicals and NOT biodegradable so they can wreak havoc on your health AND the environment. Here’s why:

• They’re wasteful. These wipes are the epitome of wastefulness with their single-use, toss it in the trash when you’re done philosophy. This is just terrible for the environment and not at all green or eco-friendly. We can do better than that!
• They’re toxic. These wipes contain many harsh chemicals that come with some well documented harmful side effects. Just have a look at the “Environmental Working Group” pages for Clorox® wipes and Lysol® wipes, both of which received an overall score of “D”.
• They’re expensive. Considering that we use these one time, and then toss them in the trash – and a typical cleaning job will use at least 2-3 sheets – we’re literally throwing away money every month on these things!" - Excerpt from https://naturesnurtureblog.com/

Here’s a simple (less than 10 minutes) DIY to make your own disinfectant wipes at home. 

What You'll Need:

Old t-shirt, scissors, a large jar, and the following ingredients:

• 1 cup distilled or filtered water
• 1/2 cup of vinegar (white distilled works best)
• 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol (can omit alcohol and add more vinegar)
• Optional: 1 teaspoon liquid castile soap (to add a bit of cleaning power!)
• Pick 2 and add 8-12 drops of each/any of the following essential oils: lemon, germ fighter, tea tree, lavender, any kind of citrus. These are all naturally disinfecting oils, so make your own combination based on what you like!

• Cut up old t-shirt in the size rags you like
• Add all liquid ingredients together
• Stir!
• Add in rags (I was able to use an entire men's large t-shirt for this recipe). Allow the rags to absorb the liquid by pressing them in, shaking and tipping the jar upside down. If you need more liquid add a tad bit more water. They should be fully damp but not sopping.
• Make sure the lid is on tight, and store in a cool, dry, place!

Need them on the go? Toss them in a reusable silicone bag like the one below: