How to Make Natural Disinfecting Wipes for Home Cleaning

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How to Make Natural Disinfecting Wipes for Home Cleaning
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Those ready-made disinfecting wipes in the plastic containers can be so convenient for sanitizing and eliminating messes. Our family doesn’t use toxic conventional cleaners, and with a large family the cost of natural store-bought cleaners adds up fast. These natural disinfecting wipes are super simple to throw together and are a safe, effective solution to clean surfaces around the home.

Disinfecting Wipes With Essential Oils

Many of my cleaning products (and beauty products) contain essential oils. When used properly, they can be potent germ killers that are still safe to use around little ones. According to my research, all essential oils are anti-microbial to some degree, but lemon and tea tree are particularly effective. Both of these oils have a wide degree of safety for all ages when used as a surface cleanser. When these essential oils are combined, they may provide powerful protection against a wide array of pathogens, including potentially E. coli, MRSA, and salmonella.

Soap Is Safer

The 2013 FDA decision to ban several antibacterial soap ingredients caused quite a stir! Their decision was based on a lack of evidence for the long term safety of these antibacterial substances. In collaboration with the EPA, they also found some potential risks of these chemicals.

The official release also stated that evidence shows that at least for hand washing, plain soap and water is as effective as antibacterial soap when used correctly.

Of course, disinfecting surfaces is important, especially when it comes to surfaces touched by raw meat. Other types of household cleaning also require a little more power than traditional soap and water. Still, to respect the levels of healthy bacteria in our home, I use any disinfectant sparingly.

Castile Soap and Vinegar Are Not Friends

I’m a big believer in the power of vinegar. A lot of cleaning recipes use vinegar as a disinfectant, but vinegar and soap do not mix when it comes to cleaners. Since this recipe for natural disinfecting wipes also uses castile soap to break down greasy residues, vinegar won’t work here. (Lisa Bronner, from the Dr. Bronner soap family, spells out why vinegar and soap don’t work together as a cleaner in this article.)

Alcohol: Not Just for Drinking

Since there’s no vinegar in this recipe, alcohol serves instead as a disinfectant and degreaser. Alcohol evaporates quickly, allowing the cleaning solution to dry fast. (Certain rooms, like bathrooms, benefit from a fast-drying cleaner to help prevent mildew growth due to wet surfaces).

Many people have isopropyl or rubbing alcohol around, but this recipe calls for another kind of alcohol… vodka!

How to Make Natural Disinfecting Wipes for Home Cleaning
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4.41 from 5 votes

Natural Disinfecting Wipes Recipe

Ever since having children, I started making my own homemade baby wipes, so it only made sense to create natural disinfecting wipes for our kitchen as well!
Prep Time4 minutes
Yield: 6 wipes
Author: Katie Wells

Materials

Instructions

  • In the large bowl mix together the alcohol, soap, water, and essential oils.
  • Place two of the washcloths or fabric squares into the glass container, then pour about 1/3 of the cleaning solution over them.
  • Repeat this process until all of the cloths and solution has been used. (This approach guarantees evenly wet wipes.)
  • Put the lid on the container and move the container around, tipping it upside down and back again to make sure the cloths are fully saturated.

How to Use:

  • Remove a wipe from the container, and wring any excess liquid out over the other wipes. Use it to disinfect and clean surfaces around the house.
  • Since these natural disinfecting wipes are sturdier than the store-bought disposable ones, they hold up to scrubbing surfaces much better.
  • Test any new surfaces in an inconspicuous location if there’s any concern the wipe could damage the material or surface to be cleaned.

Notes

  • To wash: Launder with other kitchen towels. I always keep a small laundry basket on hand in my pantry for towels and wipes. I wash them together in hot water with a splash of hydrogen peroxide and regular laundry detergent.
  • I am comfortable using these and have never had a problem using natural disinfectants like this. Please note that these are not broad spectrum disinfectants like those used in hospitals and should not be treated as such. This recipe is designed for household use and not as disinfecting wipes for skin.

Other Natural Disinfectants to Keep on Hand

These wipes are my go-to cleaners for most kitchen messes. I also keep white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide on hand for big kitchen messes.

White Vinegar

Vinegar is used in food preservation for a reason: it inhibits bacterial growth. It isn’t technically a disinfectant, but it is an effective degreaser that has some antibacterial power too. I keep a bottle of white vinegar in a spray bottle in our kitchen for use on sticky messes, grease, and sometimes as a first pass on raw meat before using these wipes.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Another natural disinfectant that I keep in the kitchen is hydrogen peroxide. I add a spray bottle top to a regular hydrogen peroxide bottle and use this to disinfect cutting boards and raw meat dishes before washing them regularly. We use food-grade hydrogen peroxide to keep our pool clean without chlorine too! Now that I keep this 35% food grade peroxide on hand, I can make a stronger concentration for use in the kitchen. Just make sure to always store hydrogen peroxide in a dark-colored opaque bottle to keep it from breaking down in light.

This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Shani Muhammad, MD, board certified in family medicine and has been practicing for over ten years. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor or work with a doctor at SteadyMD.

What are your favorite natural cleaning tips? Are natural disinfectants part of your routine? Let me know!

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

71 responses to “How to Make Natural Disinfecting Wipes for Home Cleaning”

  1. caroline Avatar
    caroline

    What about natural disinfecting wipes like seventh generation and clean well? Thoughts? Studies?

  2. Linda Avatar

    Katie, which recipe for wipes do you recommend to sanitize surfaces like doorknobs and light switches, when one or more family members are sick? And, do those surfaces then have to be wiped with a rinsing cloth? Thanks so much.

  3. Jarred Lawrence Avatar
    Jarred Lawrence

    I like this idea. I basically just use the disinfecting wipes in the bathroom around the floor of the toilet since we have my Dad in the house. It takes care of the guys in the bathroom smell. I also use them when someone in the house is sick. So, I’d rather just dispose of them when I’m done. This idea would work in the kitchen making the wipes reusable.

  4. Arabella Avatar

    Hi! I’d just like to point out that vodka (ethyl alcohol) on has an alcohol concentration of about 40%. This means that it’s useless as a disinfectant/antiseptic. For something to be an effective antiseptic/disinfectant, it must have an alcohol concentration of at least 70% and must sit on whatever surface for at least three minutes. With the added distilled water as well, the vodka might as well not even be in this recipe- these are essentially just soapy washcloths. I would not personally rely on these to clean any surfaces in my household (especially not after working with raw meat). No disrespect is intended, and I understand the desire for a natural, food-safe disinfectant, but this just isn’t it!

  5. Clara Avatar

    Would you say these disinfectant wipes are a one time use. I’m thinking rinsing them out with water to reuse would defeat the purpose of disinfecting right?

  6. Samantha Avatar

    Hi Katie!

    What is the dilution ratio for the food grade hydrogen peroxide spray that you use in your kitchen? As mentioned above. Also, would it be safe to add essential oils to this mixture for a better scent? Thank you!

  7. Chariti S Avatar
    Chariti S

    Anyone else find this recipe a bit greasy? I love the idea of using essential oils in cleaning products, but it seems counter productive if it’s leaving some of the oils behind…

  8. melody Avatar

    can I put the recipe for these wipes in a spray bottle and use it to clean?

  9. Renee Avatar

    Hello,

    I have a home child care business so I have a lot of toys to clean. Would you think these wipes are okay to clean toys with and let air dry? Or will I have to clean the toys with soap and water after I disinfect with the wipes?

    Thanks!

  10. Lindsay Avatar

    Hi Katie! Do you use these disinfectant wipes daily? Why or why not? Thanks!

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar

      I think bacteria in your own home around your family can be beneficial in boosting your immune system, so I don’t necessarily use them every day for everything. I’ll use them for “bodily accidents” from kids or pets and after working with raw meat, etc. And definitely in the bathrooms. I usually just wipe everything else down with a gentler spray or just a damp cloth.

  11. Cherylen Avatar

    Why would you use so much essential oil? It shouldn’t take so much if you are using pure essential oil? These would be ridiculously expensive if you used 70 drops of doterra oil. You should be able to use between 10-20 drops at the most with their oils.

  12. Jeannie Wilson Avatar
    Jeannie Wilson

    Hi,
    Can you explain the benefits of using a glass container vs a bpa free plastic tub?
    Also, once you’ve removed a wipe (and squeezed the excess back into the container) can you add another clean cloth? And continue as long as there’s enough liquid left?

  13. Terri Avatar

    I’m wondering why the vodka and not the rubbing or isopropyl alcohol? Is there a difference in the performance or the interaction with the other ingredients? I’m super excited to use this recipe but don’t want to use my good martini vodka to clean the cabinets with! 🙂

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar

      It can be used. I just prefer not to use rubbing alcohol in the kitchen since it technically can’t be consumed and I stick to food safe products even in ktichen cleaning. And you can use a cheaper alcohol 😉

  14. Lynne Avatar

    Regarding the use of reusable wipes, I LOVE this idea. However, I truly need ideas regarding how to get rid of the “stuff” the wipes pick up. Whatever it is that my wipes pick up (hair – human & pet; crumbs; tiny pieces of play dough; occasional dead ant or moth; etc.), I would think these need to be “removed” before washing the wipes/rags. So how do you get this debris off the rags? I’ve tried to shake it off with little success. Maybe someone has an idea(s). I can’t stomach picking this stuff off the rag by hand. I guess that’s why I liked the throw away kind and paper towels. HELP, please!

  15. Lynne Avatar

    What do you “cut” food grade hydrogen peroxide with to get a fluid that is between the over-the-counter strength (3%) peroxide and the food grade (35%???) strength?

  16. Carisa Avatar
    Carisa

    Hi, Katie

    What do you think about using witch hazel instead of vodka in this recipe?

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