With the shelves being empty of disinfecting wipes because of the Coronavirus outbreak, you can make your own DIY Disinfectant Wipes with just a few supplies. These homemade disinfecting wipes are similar to the Clorox wipes you can buy in the store but less expensive to make. Here’s how to make your own cleaning wipes at home.
And if you don’t have access to soap and water and want to learn how to make homemade hand sanitizer, check out this DIY Hand Sanitizer tutorial.
Supplies Needed
2 cups water (can also use distilled water)
1 cup isopropyl alcohol (At least 70% but the higher percent the better. I used 91%.)
1 tbsp Dawn dish soap or any other kind of dish soap
Roll of paper towels (can also use rags or washcloths)
Sharp knife
Large bowl
Measuring cups and spoons
Essential oil
Sealed container to store the wipes in
How to Make Homemade Disinfectant Wipes
Cut the paper towels to the desired length to fit in the container to store them in. This is probably the hard part even with a sharp knife as it takes time to get through the layers.
In a large bowl add 2 cups of water and warm up in the microwave. Add 1 tbsp of dish soap to the warm water and stir but be careful not to stir it too much because it will get too sudsy.
Add 1 cup of isopropyl alcohol to the bowl and about 10-20 drops of essential oil and mix together. I used orange scented essential oil but you can use whatever scent you would like.
Place paper towels in the container you want to store them in and pour the solution in the bowl making sure all the paper towels are covered. Close the container with the lid and allow the solution to soak through the towels.
When fully soaked pull the paper towel roll out of the middle.
When ready to use, pull a wipe out of container, wipe and dispose when finished. Make sure to keep the container closed when not in use to prevent wipes from drying out.
Homemade Disinfectant Wipes
Materials
- 2 cups water can also use distilled water
- 1 cup isopropyl alcohol At least 70% but the higher percent the better. I used 91%.
- 1 tbsp Dawn dish soap or any other kind of dish soap
- Roll of paper towels can also use rags or washcloths
- Sharp knife
- Large bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Essential oil
- Sealed container to store the wipes in
Instructions
- Cut the paper towels to the desired length to fit in the container to store them in. This is probably the hard part even with a sharp knife as it takes time to get through the layers.
- In a large bowl add 2 cups of water and warm up in the microwave. Add 1 tbsp of dish soap to the warm water and stir but be careful not to stir it too much because it will get too sudsy.
- Add 1 cup of isopropyl alcohol to the bowl and about 10-20 drops of essential oil and mix together. I used orange scented essential oil but you can use whatever scent you would like.
- Place paper towels in the container you want to store them in and pour the solution in the bowl making sure all the paper towels are covered. Close the container with the lid and allow the solution to soak through the towels.
- When fully soaked pull the paper towel roll out of the middle.
- When ready to use, pull a wipe out of container, wipe and dispose when finished. Make sure to keep the container closed when not in use to prevent wipes from drying out.
D
This is all good, but you can’t find alcohol ANYWHERE and paper towels are just as scarce!
Alison
If you can’t find the items you can use bleach, water and rags to clean.
Sarah
From what I understand you need at least 70% to kill viruses such as the Coronavirus. In this recipe the alcohol is being diluted with the 2 cups of water making it only 30% and that’s if you use the 99% isopropyl.
Mary ann
I made mine with coffee filters, cost at dollar store, less than paper towels. You must fan them out before adding solution or they’re hard to separate. No cutting, just place in a zip lock
Alison
That is a great idea! Thanks for sharing.