While many bacteria are harmless or even beneficial, there are some which we should take care to not come into contact with – particularly those from waste products or raw food, for example. In sensitive areas such as the kitchen and bathroom, it is important to do everything you can to clean and sanitize the areas you touch the most. Here we’ll show you how to make your own antibacterial spray or wipes for using around your home.
Important facts about using a DIY disinfectant
Before we show you how to make your own disinfectant spray or wipes, here are a few facts you should know about using a DIY disinfectant.
Antibacterial products such as wipes, spray and soap are more effective and work faster when sanitizing surfaces around your home than regular soap and water. They kill roughly 99% of the germs and bacteria found in your home.
The kitchen and the bathroom are two germ hotspots. We recommend using store-bought disinfectants for these areas.
Using a DIY all-purpose disinfectant cleaner can help you to keep other low-risk areas of your home such as the bedrooms and living room clean and hygienic.
How to use a homemade sanitizer spray, wipes, and other products safely
Making a homemade disinfectant spray, wipes or soap is only half the story, it is important you know how to use them safely with the following advice:
Use disinfectants - store bought or DIY - safely. Always read the label and product information before use.
Always keep your DIY sanitizer spray or wipes out of the reach of children.
Never spray DIY disinfectant spray around children, to prevent them inhaling fumes or having the product come into contact with their skin.
How to make a DIY disinfectant spray with alcohol
DIY disinfectant solution
1 ½ cups of 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol
½ cup of white vinegar
50-60 drops of your chosen essential oil such as lavender, citrus, tea tree, and eucalyptus
A spray bottle or paper towel roll
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To create a disinfectant spray:
Pour the alcohol into a spray bottle.
Add the essential oils.
Shake the bottle to combine the two ingredients as much as possible.
Next, add the vinegar.
Shake the bottle again.
Now you can use your new DIY disinfectant spray almost anywhere in your home. Due to the vinegar content, avoid using it on specialist stone surfaces such as granite or marble.
To create disinfectant wipes:
Place the alcohol solution you have made, into a bowl.
Lay a paper towel roll in the solution.
Leave it to soak up the solution.
Once it has soaked up all the liquid, each paper towel square can be used as an antibacterial wipe.
Make sure you place it into a sealed container to prevent it from drying out.
Homemade disinfectants give you a range of benefits. First of all obviously they are cheaper to make because you would most likely already have these ingredients at home. Also, they are quite customizable according to your taste. You can make them according to what your preferred scent or even color by adding a few extra oils or pigments. But ultimately if you want truly effective results for stubborn germ hotspots such as in your bathroom or kitchen, your best bet is to go with professionally made products such as Domex.
Do you want to learn which household cleaning tasks cause the most stress? Then read our Heated Household data analysis.