It’s important to keep surfaces clean and disinfected – especially during a pandemic emergency. Because the coronavirus can live on surfaces for up to a few days, keeping up your cleaning regimen is essential to your health and the continued sanitation of the home.
The CDC recommends disinfecting areas where there can be large numbers of household germs — and where there is a possibility that these germs could be spread to others.
Here are some hot spots to hit: doorknobs, faucet handles, toilet flush handles, bathrooms, phones, keyboards, remote controls, countertops, and tables. Keeping your hard surfaces clean is essential during the flu season. Here is an easy way to keep the cleaning as convenient as possible.
Moreover, they suggest the best way to keep a home clean is by using these guidelines:
- Cleaning refers to the removal of germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces. Cleaning does not kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection.
- Disinfecting refers to using chemicals to kill germs on surfaces. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but by killing germs on a surface after cleaning, it can further lower the risk of spreading infection.
Since we all love the convenience of cleaning wipes, here’s an easy way to make them.
Here’s What You Need:
- 1 roll of paper towels
- Clorox
- Water
- Plastic cleaning container for wipes (I like to reuse old Clorox wipes containers)
Homemade Disinfecting Surface Wipes
INGREDIENTS
- 1 roll paper towels
- 1/2 cup Clorox (or any bleach)
- 1 tablespoon liquid dish soap
- 1-gallon water
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add bleach and dish soap to water; stir well.
- Cut paper towel roll to fit into the desired container.*
- Pour enough solution over paper towel roll to fully absorb (2-4 cups).
- Remove the cardboard center from paper towel roll.
- Pull pieces of paper towel (wipes) from the center hole of the roll.
- Cover surface; allow to sit for 5 full minutes.
- Wipe with a wet cloth; air dry.
NOTES
There is always some of the disinfecting solution left over. Add it to a spray bottle for another use. Cotton towels can also be placed in the solution, used, laundered and reused.
This is a simple way to repurpose your old Clorox wipes containers and save a few dollars by making your own.
Additional Reading:
Why Social Distancing Is Critical Right Now
Tips For Getting Through A Quarantine With Children
10 Anti-Viral Foods To Add To Your Diet Today
8 Immediate Steps You Need to Take To Prevent the Spread of Germs in Your House
A 0.1% solution of bleach or a 0.5% solution of hydrogen peroxide is also effective in killing coronavirus.
These mixtures equate to 1/3 cup bleach per gallon of water or a 5:1 mixture of water and 3% hydrogen peroxide ($1/bottle at most pharmacies).
I use the peroxide mixture in with cut up paper towels in a small Ziplock bag and keep them in the car with me.
I wouldn’t recommend this. I have actually heard that mixing bleach and hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, or vinegar together and putting it in a closed container can cause dangerous gases to form.
Great info, thank-you for posting.
Hmm. There are many sources that say that after adding water to bleach solutions, its effectiveness dissipates after 24 hours. So, I’m wondering if the commercially made wipes use some kind of stabilizer… Either way, any thoughts on this?