Here's What You Can Substitute For Clorox Wipes

Living through a pandemic has caused everyone to become more aware of the difference between clean and disinfected. Clorox wipes are a popular choice to disinfect homes because of their convenience, though the same formula is available for purchase in a spray bottle. There are, however, other powerful disinfecting products available as well, which can be helpful to know if your local store runs out of stock. As long as the product says disinfectant on it, along with an EPA registration number, it will be able to kill viral pathogens and bacteria on non-porous surfaces, according to Apartment Therapy. Generic versions of a product will have the same EPA number — and thus the same disinfecting power– as the name-brand product. Wirecutter recommends Clorox Multi-Surface Cleaner + Bleach if you want a bleach-based cleaner, but also suggests Lysol Kitchen Pro Antibacterial Cleaner if you want a non-bleach disinfectant.

Another substitute for Clorox wipes is vinegar. Vinegar is made from 5% acetic acid, so it's able to kill bacteria and viruses without the use of harsher chemicals such as bleach, according to Zero Waste Outlet. To use vinegar as a disinfectant, mix it with an equal amount of water in a spray bottle. Then you can spray it on surfaces just as you would use other household cleansers. The only difference is that these alternatives are less commonly available in convenient wipes.  

There are two ways to make your own Clorox wipes. They can either be made with bleach or with 91% isopropyl alcohol as the main ingredient. You'll also need water, paper towels or reusable cloths, and an airtight container. If you choose bleach, it must be at least 1000 ppm sodium hypochlorite. To start, create a mixture with a ratio of 4 teaspoons of bleach to 1 quart of water in an airtight container, via USA Today. Wearing gloves, submerge your cloths or paper towels in the liquid, and allow them to soak for at least five minutes. It's important to note that homemade bleach mixtures lose their disinfecting ability after 24 hours have passed, so you will likely need to make new wipes each time you intend to clean

The isopropyl alcohol disinfectant wipes, however, can be made ahead of time and will retain their ability to disinfect as long as you store them in a cool, dark container, sealed so the alcohol cannot evaporate. With the 91% isopropyl alcohol, use a ratio of 7 cups of alcohol to 3 cups of water. Mix the water and alcohol in the container and allow the paper towels or cloths to absorb the liquid. Now you can disinfect your home without having to purchase Clorox wipes.