There are several reasons why someone might want to make their own disinfecting wipes. Whether you are looking to save money, keep harsh chemicals out of your home, or want a food safe wipe these have become a go-to in my household. Depending on your needs and preferences these can be made as disposable (with paper towels) or reusable (with cloths, cut up t-shirts, etc.).
What you need:
- “Cloth” of choice (paper towels, washcloths, cut up t-shirts, etc.)
- Storage container ( you will need something large enough to hold a roll of paper towels cut in half such as a medium sized plastic bowl with lid, mason jar, old wipe container)2 c water
- 2 tbsp of castile soap or dish soap
- 1 c white vinegar
- 10 drops of tea tree oil
- 10-15 drops orange or lemon essential oil
- Other essential oil as desired for fragrance (not eucalyptus)
What to do:
- If using paper towels, cut the roll in half in order (if needed) to fit in your chosen container.
- In your chosen storage container combine water, soap (I use either Dawn dish soap or lavender castile soap that I have on hand), vinegar, and essential oils. The wipes will be effective without essential oils but the tea tree and citrus oils give the mixture an extra cleaning boost.
These wipes may have a vinegar smell, which is improved by the addition of essential oils.
Another solution is to soak orange peels (of 5-6 oranges) in 1 gallon of vinegar for 7+ days to make an orange (oil) infused vinegar. Since orange essential oil is extracted from the orange peel you will be getting the same benefits as you would by using orange essential oil. You just have to plan ahead for this option!
