How To Make Disinfecting Wipes
At Home

You can easily make disinfecting wipes at home.

How to make disinfecting wipes at home. Disinfecting wipes you can buy in a pop-up canister or pouch are convenient, simple to use, and kill most bacteria and viruses on hard surfaces. However, these store-bought disinfecting wipes are spendy.

Using disposable wipes also has a sad environmental impact. They come in plastic jugs or packages that end up in landfills or in the ocean unless recycled.

Most wipes contain polyester or polypropylene, which aren't biodegradable, so they'll be around longer than most of us.
Fortunately, you can make disinfecting wipes at home with a few simple ingredients.

These homemade wipes are not only better for your budget but also for the environment if you use cloth instead of paper products.

1. How To Make Disinfecting Wipes At Home - Choose A Container

To make disinfecting wipes, you'll need a container. Use a non-metallic container for the wipes. Metal cans or jars will rust, and rusty wipes more or less deafest the purpose. Reusing an old wipes container is one easy idea, or try the following:

Quart- or gallon-sized jar with a plastic lid

Glass mason jar

Plastic cereal storage container

Another plastic food container

Ensure the lid to your container fits well so your homemade wipes won't dry out.

2. Choose the Towels

The paper products that you use to make disinfecting wipes at home should be strong enough to stand up to some serious surface cleaning while they are wet. Good choices for the job include:

Heavy-duty paper towels

Paper guest hand towels

Paper napkins (full-size or cut into smaller pieces)

If you prefer more eco-friendly wipes, good material choices include:

100 percent cotton cloths

Bamboo cloth

Microfiber washcloths

Reusable wipes should be machine-washed in hot water after every use.

3. Layer the Towels

Separate the towels into pieces and fold or roll them to fit your container. If you are reusing a pop-up wipe container, fold it with one layer interwoven with the next towel so they will pull up together.

If you have a round container, cut a roll of paper towels in half and remove the inner cardboard core to create a pull-from-the-center roll of household cleaning wipes.

4. Measure the Alcohol and Essential Oils

Germ-Fighting Solution

Look for isopropyl alcohol - sold in drug and grocery stores - in a 70 percent solution. Using less than 70 percent alcohol will not provide the microbe-killing protection you desire.

In a separate container, pour enough isopropyl alcohol (70 percent or higher) to cover and saturate the towels. Three cups of alcohol will soak about 40 folded paper towels.

Next, add 10-20 drops of essential oil to the alcohol, if desired. Essential oils add a pleasant scent, and some oils have antibacterial qualities.

Recommended oils with some antibacterial properties include tea tree, lavender, geranium, lemon, orange, eucalyptus, rosemary, cinnamon, clove, thyme, and peppermint.

5. Saturate the Disinfecting Wipes

Pour about half of the alcohol (mixed with essential oils, if using) over the towels. Wait until the liquid is absorbed, then pour in the rest. You might need to add more alcohol if the towels are not thoroughly soaked. Some liquid should be visible in the container.

Cover the container tightly. The disinfecting wipes are now ready for action whenever you need them! Read on if you'd like to try a cleaning cocktail of a more intoxicating variety.