Here's What You Can Substitute For Lysol

Lysol Disinfectant Spray is a popular choice to clean homes because of its convenience. All you have to do is spray any hard surface, and the Lysol disinfects the surface. The problem is that everyone knows how easy it is, so it may be in short supply at your local stores. Luckily, there are alternatives you can purchase or DIY solutions you can make at home when you can't find Lysol Disinfectant Spray in the stores. Of course, Lysol Disinfecting Wipes are a great alternative, but they are equally as popular as the aerosol spray.

USA Today discussed some alternative cleaners that will disinfect like Lysol. Two options are the Clorox Clean-Up Disinfectant Cleaner with Bleach and the Method Antibacterial All-Purpose Cleaner. Both of these cleaners will kill bacteria like Lysol. The only difference is that they are not an aerosol sprays, so you will need to wipe the moisture with a paper towel after spraying your surfaces. If you can't find any of these products available in stores, you can also make a DIY disinfectant spray.

The hardest part about making homemade disinfectant spray is finding the correct type of alcohol to use. The CDC recommends using at least 70% alcohol when making a cleaner to disinfect surfaces. There are two different types of alcohol to choose from. Isopropyl alcohol is used to make hand sanitizers because it's good at killing bacteria, and ethyl alcohol is used to make surface cleaners because it's good at killing virus germs, per 40 aprons. Ethyl alcohol is the alcohol used for drinking, so the amount of alcohol is listed in proofs. To find the percentage of alcohol content, divide the proof in half. So 140 proof would be 70% alcohol.

To make a DIY Lysol, you will need a spray bottle, 140 proof or higher ethyl alcohol, and lemons. In the spray bottle, add 1.5 cups of ethyl alcohol. Everclear is frequently used because it is 190 proof or 95% alcohol. Then add the peels of 2 to 3 lemons (via Don't Mess with Mama). It's recommended to prepare this recipe and wait a week or two for the lemon peels to release their oil before using the cleaner, but it will still disinfect if you don't have time to wait. After a week or two, spray the disinfectant on hard surfaces and let it sit for a minute before wiping it away.