This post may contain affiliate links. These help support this website.
I’ve been asked about this from readers, and I’m finally sharing it today! DIY Reusable Clorox Wipes that really match the ingredients of the original ones!
One of my favorite things to do as a chemist is examine cleaning ingredients, then match them up to make a homemade solution.
Like this homemade soft scrub!
Clorox wipes are so easy to use, I love them! They clean everything, and you only need one item to do the cleaning.
These homemade ones work just as good, have almost the same ingredients (minus some unnecessary ones), plus you can just wash the rags!
DIY Reusable Clorox Wipes (That REALLY Match the Original Ingredients!)
Why Are These Called Clorox Wipes?
Because the inspiration for these was from the store-bought product called Clorox wipes. Clorox Company is a brand, they make many products. Their wipes work well for cleaning, but many readers have requested a different version without preservatives. We tried out a few different combinations, and the below recipe was the best for cleaning!
Before you read the ingredients, remember Clorox is a brand. Their wipes DO NOT contain bleach. You can scroll down to the bottom of this post for details on all the ingredients in regular Clorox wipes.. Also, be sure to read our new post about homemade ingredients you cannot mix together! We answer questions like mixing bleach and dawn, etc.
If you pop over to SmartLabel, you can quickly see the ingredients most of their basic wipes contain. Readers have been most concerned about the fragrance and ammonium chloride. If you have breathing issues, those are both items you can’t use. Below are the ingredients that match up with the Clorox ingredients for good cleaning options.
PLEASE scroll down a few paragraphs for a breakdown on ingredients plus how to disinfect.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of water
- 2 tbsp dawn dishwashing detergent (using NON-concentrated for this, read WHY below under surfactant)
- 4 tbsp lemon infused alcohol (It needs to be lemon for the best benefits, also increase to 10 tbsp for stronger solution and please scroll down for information on disinfecting!!!)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 20 drops of lemon oil (Optional, but will match ingredients better)
- 32 oz plastic jar with lid
- Cloths (can be microfiber or regular, also try old T-shirts!)
Directions:
- Add rags or clothes to your plastic jar with lid.
- In a bowl, mix up the ingredients and stir until baking soda is dissolved.
- Add to the jar of rags. You want this to cover the rags, so make sure to stir it around well.
Tip: You can easily double the recipe to meet the needs of your jar. Just keep the ratios the same. If you like more solution, add less clothes. If you want this to be like it comes from the store, add just enough liquid to cover everything 🙂 Check out photos below for photos of each one.
How to Use:
Just pull out a cloth to clean any area you’d like. This is safe for ALL surfaces (this is why water is added)! Once you are done using, just throw it in the washing machine. Be sure you read this post on cleaning vs disinfecting so you can learn how to clean surfaces, then disinfect properly.
Heavy Duty Cleaning
If you want to increase the cleaning, increase the rubbing alcohol. You can add 10-12 tbsp and decrease water slightly.
For Disinfecting:
Remember there is a difference between cleaning and disinfecting. I cannot stress this enough. For proper disinfecting, you must use pure rubbing alcohol. We use a double step method you can read in this post. The CDC recommends a minimum of 70% isopropyl alcohol for virus and bacteria. Please wash your hands no matter what you touch before doing anything else!
UPDATE 3/3/2020- REMEMBER, homemade cleaners do not contain preservatives or buffers, so those who keep trying to do the math or percentages of alcohol, it is impossible to take in to account environment, degradation, freshness, etc. The only way to be sure of disinfecting is to use pure isopropyl alcohol. What does this mean? It means you must spray a surface with isopropyl alcohol, then follow up with a homemade cleaner. Read our new post for tips on this.
So, Why Not Just Have All Rubbing Alcohol In This Solution?
We have had so many questions about this. Here is the thing, when you make homemade solutions, you have to create something that is SAFE for surfaces. Before this global pandemic occurred, people were using these homemade wipes for cleaning surfaces. Pure rubbing alcohol is not something your homemade cleaner needs because it can be hard on surfaces overtime. Now that everyone is concerned about disinfecting, it has sparked questions about this solution. Also, keep in mind dish soap is a surfactant and is also working to disinfect and remove substances from surfaces. There is A LOT going on with water too. You have to take all this in to account which is why the original solution does not use straight rubbing alcohol. You also need to create a solution that cleans well. Did you know disinfecting something doesn’t mean it will clean it? In fact, this post has a link to the EPA explaining this very aspect.
BUT with recent concerns of viruses, the only way to be safe and certain you are killing virus or bacteria strands, you need to start with pure rubbing alcohol on a surface, then you can follow up with this homemade solution. Continue to do this for the next several weeks or months until the CDC says we are safe.
If Using on Glass:
This can be used on glass stove tops, just be sure to wipe off with microfiber cloth!
Not recommended for mirrors!
Types of Cloths
You can use microfiber, wash clothes, old T-shirts, or anything else you have on hand. You can also just use paper towels and dispose of them when finished!
How Often to Change Liquid:
This solution lasts for about a month. Just keep adding clothes as you run out, then create a new batch each month. If you choose to pack it tight, the clothes will actually soak up most of the liquid, so just make a fresh batch when you refill it.
How the Ingredients Actually Match Up!
The thing about most DIY clorox wipes, is they are missing some important ingredients that will make it more like store-bought. I love to compare ingredients and create a solution that will be as similar as possible from home.
Here is how they match up:
Water
According to The Clorox Company, water is one of the main ingredients in their wipes. Water is an underrated item in homemade solutions, but it is a great solvent. It makes the perfect base for homemade cleaners.
Citric Acid
Another key ingredient in Clorox wipes is citric acid. Citric acid can be bought commercially, but it is also found in fruits especially lemons. Lemon juice contains high levels of citric acid, but it doesn’t last long if you use it in homemade solutions. It also contains sugars which can hinder the cleaning effect.
Lemon rinds also contain citric acid without the sugars, so this is why I am a huge believer in lemon infused rubbing alcohol! You get the benefit of the lemon as well as the alcohol. Making lemon infused rubbing alcohol is so easy! Just follow these simple instructions. The other benefit of using the lemon infused alcohol is you aren’t getting high levels of acidity which makes it safe for all surfaces.
Readers have asked if they can use citric acid in place of the lemon infused alcohol. I do not like using powdered citric acid. It increases the acidity making it not safe for all surfaces. It also does not combine very well. I recommend not using powdered citric acid. If you don’t have lemons, just eliminate this component.
Isopropyl Alcohol
Isopropyl alcohol, or rubbing alcohol, is one of the best ingredients for cleaners. Companies use it all the time in almost anything you buy from the store. I prefer rubbing alcohol to vinegar in homemade cleaners. Here is why.
D-Limonene
Another component found in the rinds of citrus! It is also found in lemon essential oil. If you remember from this post on using lemon for your skin, D-limonene is a type of terpene obtained from citrus rinds. It dissolves and cuts through grease, stains, and anything else you want to remove from surfaces. This is why adding in the essential oil makes these wipes even more powerful. Since the lemon infused alcohol also contains this, you don’t necessarily need the essential oil, but it will makes this a better cleaner!
Sodium Bicarbonate
Baking soda is a powerful cleaner. You can find more information on it in this post. It adds just enough alkalinity to this solution to enhance the cleaning effect. According to the Clorox company, they use sodium bicarbonate in their wipes to act as a water softener to remove things like calcium and other ions found in tap water! You don’t need much at all to get the benefits of this.
Surfactant
They use C12-14 Alcohols Ethoxylated Propoxylated as the surfactant. We are simply using dishwashing liquid which is a great surfactant. If you have followed my website for a long time, then you know I always use Dawn! You can read why in this post.
Typically I use concentrated, but in this I chose to use non-concentrated so it would be less soapy. If you don’t have that on hand, you can definitely use the regular concentrated version. Just use a little less if you want less suds.
Ingredients it DOES NOT Have
On their list you will also find: Hexoxyethanol, Alkyl C12-18 Dimethylbenzyl Ammonium Chloride, Alkyl C12-14 Dimethylethylbenzyl Ammonium Chloride , and C12-14 Alcohols Ethoxylated Propoxylated (using dishwashing liquid instead). I chose NOT to add ammonia to this solution so it would be more user friendly and safer for handling. The other ingredients just enhance the cleaning power, but they aren’t needed for homemade solutions!
FAQ Section
Please read our popular questions below.
Why Doesn’t It Have Bleach??
Clorox Wipes DO NOT contain bleach. They are called Clorox as a brand name 🙂 This homemade version disinfects really well just like the store-bought version. PLEASE DO NOT ADD bleach this solution. It is no safe to add bleach to rubbing alcohol. In fact, it is very dangerous. If you want to use bleach, you must eliminate the alcohol. I recommend not using bleach in a solution like this. With the chemical structure of Chlorine bleach, it is dangerous to add to anything besides water. You can visit this post for tips on diluting bleach.
This should not take the place of washing with soap and water, and how much it disinfects depends on ingredients, surfaces, and how fresh ingredients are.
Are these good for travel?
It is hard to control environment, so homemade solutions don’t do as well for travel. We recommend using pure 70% rubbing alcohol wipes for disinfecting if you can’t find anything else. This is the most stable solution. You cannot control stability with homemade solutions because they don’t contain preservatives, so please keep this in mind.
Do these disinfect?
Remember, there is a difference between cleaning and disinfecting. These are great for cleaning, but homemade cleaners are not tested against viral strands. To be safe, you must use pure 70% rubbing alcohol. If you are wanting to disinfect a surface properly, Clean the surface, then follow up with pure rubbing alcohol. And be sure to continue cleaning regularly with soap and water on surfaces as well as hands.
Using pure rubbing alcohol is harsh on surfaces overtime, so make sure to keep an eye out things. Again, this is why homemade cleaners are mixed with other ingredients to make sure they are safe for all surfaces over a long period of time. If you have questions, feel free to email us anytime! We are happy to help you!
Enjoy!!
If you would like more of our DIY recipes, check out the eBook below!!
Follow on Facebook | Bloglovin | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Hometalk
Linking with Met Monday and these link parties!
Are cloths from this solution safe to use on quartz countertops? Thank you.
Yes, they are safe for any surface! 🙂
Actually, they are NOT safe for all surfaces. They are not safe to use on marble, such as marble countertops.
Anything acidic, such as lemon, or even vinegar, cannot be used on marble. Acid of any kind, such as the lemon infused alcohol, will etch marble. We have marble countertops in our bathroom & have to be very careful about this. We have accidentally set things down, or splattered lemon-scented cleanser, from the sink, onto the countertop & those splatters have etched the mat Le & it is permanent. You can see it and you can also feel the rough area. One cannot be too careful with marble. We would not have chosen it, if we had to make the decision again!
CHaun
This uses lemon infusion from the rinds which doesn’t contain the acids in lemon juice. Also, you can always eliminate the lemon 🙂 I use these on my granite. With quartz and some marbles, you want to use diluted oil based soaps (like dish soap). The water is important for solution
Girl you are amazing! What a great idea! I love the idea of controlling the cloth size as well as less waste/garbage from the original Clorox wipes. questions – do I need to rinse the surface after wiping especially on kitchen counters/ food areas? Do I need to rinse the cloths before I throw them in the washer? I’m afraid the Dawn will cause too many suds in the washer. You’re terrific ?
Thanks Laurie!! You don’t need to wipe the surface after using. You can dry it with a towel if you want, but it will
Dry on it’s own soon after using 🙂 and you can throw it right into washing machine after use. It doesn’t have many suds, so it washed really well 🙂 it is very handy!
WOW THIS IS AWESOME, THANK YOU SO MUCH
Hope you enjoy!!
This is great! How does one make lemon infused alcohol? Thanks!!!
You can click on it in the ingredient list 🙂 I have a post & tutorial on it. It is great!
Do these wipes disinfect? How long does the surface need to stay wet to disinfect ? Or do they sanitize? Again what is the “dwell time” to sanitize?
Love your blog.
Thank you.
Great question! Yes, they are a great deal disinfectant. It disinfects right away, so it doesn’t need to stay wet for a certain time. I usually just wipe my counters and let it air dry. If using this on glass ( like a stovetop) I wipe with a microfiber to make it shiny 🙂
What happens to the liquid after a month, if you haven’t used it all up? Does it go bad?
It doesn’t go bad, but it can separate after about a month. You can continue to use it, I would just make sure to mix it up well
does the alcohol act as a preservative, which is what keeps it from going bad?
It does preserve some, but homemade solutions stay good for about 2 weeks. After that, it is possible for mold to pop up. They don’t have store-bought or specially formulated preservatives, so freshness won’t last as long. These particular ingredients do well though as long as they stay in an airtight container
Is the solution supposed to be really sudsy? I just made some and there’s no way I’d want to use them without rinsing the surface. a lot.
No, it’s not sudsy at all. There is minimal suds to achieve results. If you are using a concentrated dish soap, make sure to use a much smaller amount. We have it noted in directions if you are using anything concentrated
I am using non-concentrate Dawn and my solution is very sudsy! Do I still just reduce the amount? It is supposed to be two tablespoons, right?
You can just reduce the amount of soap you use. Try 1 tbsp and see if it is the consistency you like. The soap is the surfactant which is the extra cleaning action, so reducing it is okay 🙂
Alexis – since no one can find wipes in my town, I stumbled on your post! Thank you for your detailed explanation! I think I have almost all the ingredients…on the topic of citric acid, I do have citric acid in a granular form that I purchased in order to make bath bombs. Would you recommend this in the mix? If so, how much should I add? Do I still need to add the lemon essential oil? Thanks!
I don’t like the citric acid as much because it can be too strong and not safe for all surfaces. But if you can use acid on your surfaces, you can try adding a little bit. It will add a little acid to the mix, not anything else. Lemon oil is really the best option for this time of mix and has the added antimicrobial benefit. Hope this helps 🙂
Okay thank you!!! Will stick with the lemon oil! 😉
Can you use tea tree oil, and how much citric acid is a little bit
You can use tea tree oil. Just use caution with it around pets if you have them 🙂
So I am in the same boat as the previous person. Wipes are gone all over town. I travel and need something to wipe down tray tables and arm rests on planes.
Do you think you mixture would be sufficient for viruses?
Clorox website said theirs was effective on SARs and H1N1, so they believe it should be effective on Covid-19.
The only thing about homemade solutions, they don’t have preservatives. This means, the solution won’t last as long. And certain elements can change its effectiveness (climate). So, for traveling, it would be best to just use pure rubbing alcohol. This is the most important disinfectant. You can use it as a spray, wipes, or whatever you are able to find.
Can this be made using paper towels instead of cloth?
Yes you can
How much is a little bit of citric acid?
I have the citric acid, not the fresh lemon. Oranges I have but not lemon.
I am just clean kitchen and bathrooms.
Thank you so much for posting this.
Love, love, this.
You can use up to a few tsp of citric acid. I don’t like using it as much because it has trouble mixing. It can also leave a residue
Hi, interesting info, thanks for taking the trouble to post it. The main question I have, seeing as I don’t have a problem using ammonia, is that I’d like to replicate their formula as close to exact as possible. Might you have some suggestions for those of us who would like to try, on percentages as well as possible sources for said ingredients?
Having preservatives is a nice feature, because if like me you aren’t cleaning all the time, I would probably have to make a new batch every month because it isn’t close to being used up. I usually buy my Clorox wipes at Costco, and the 5 pack lasts me many months, so I can see this version of the homemade solution being less than ideal for me.
I, like everyone else, is finding it impossible to get these, so I’d really like to roll my own, but trying as close as possible to be faithful to the original formula, as it seems to work great for me, especially in cleaning which is what my main use was, before the pandemic that is. Now I’d like to have the disinfecting aspect as well.
One last question I have is about the material they are made of. I can see paper towels being fine if you are just pulling out one to sanitize a surface, but it appears that the Clorox ones are made of a bit stouter stuff, and can handle a bit of actual scrubbing. My experience with paper towels, at least in situations requiring more than a casual wipe, and require a bit of elbow grease, well, best you could say is they are sub-optimal. Any thoughts on this one as well? Thanks!
You cannot use ammonia with isopropyl alcohol at home because it is dangerous. They are only added together by the manufacturer with buffers and pH balancers. You have to use one or the other. The CDC states rubbing alcohol to be the best one for disinfecting. This is why our homemade solution contains rubbing alcohol. I just recently made a batch with paper towels and it works okay. This solution contains much more liquid than the store-bought, so the towels are more saturated. Let me know if you have more questions
Why do you use a plastic jar and not glass?
Anything you have on hand is fine. I don’t use much glass with babies and puppies around the home, but whatever you have works 🙂
Hello! You mentioned not mixing bleach with alcohol. I don’t think you are supposed to mix bleach with Dawn either. It can create unhealthy fumes. I may or may not have tried this once to clean my shower. It did create strong fumes. I rinsed it immediately and googled it. Others mentioned not mixing the two. This info may be in your post and I missed it.
Bleach should not be mixed with anything besides water. We have this in the post and also on different articles about bleach. It’s too hard to control the % and ingredients when working with bleach. It’s another reason I don’t use bleach in the home, even using it diluted with water produces fumes that are dangerous especially those with breathing issues. If you need any other information, please let us know 🙂
I can’t find any isopropyl alcohol currently. Can I use 190 proof Everclear instead?
You can use vodka or everclear if you can’t find rubbing alcohol
Vodka is only 40% ethanol (80 proof), although there are 90 proof vodkas. Everclear is 95% ethanol (190 proof). There is a 151 proof rum; that is 75.5% ethanol. Problem with booze is that it contains chemicals that are not in Everclear. Everclear is also called Grain Alcohol. High ethanol concentrations, such as in Everclear, are hydrophilic; ethanol loves water. I sold chemicals for 38 years, along with laboratory apparatus. Once a bottle of 100% C2H5OH is opened, it is no longer 100% ethanol.
Hi, yes that is all very true. We have a post from a few years ago dedicated to some information about using drinking alcohol vs rubbing alcohol for cleaning. When it comes to disinfecting, we recommend not using ethanol. However, with the situation we are in right now in 2020, many people have not been able to locate rubbing alcohol. There has also not been many drinking alcohol options in our town except vodka. The CDC has been recommending people use whatever they can find right now, but rubbing alcohol is the best option.
I actually have citric acid on hand. How do you replace the lemon in this recipe work citric acid?
I don’t like to use the citric acid because it doesn’t mix as well, and can leave a residue on surfaces. A few readers have written me saying they put a few teaspoons in this recipe and it was okay. If you don’t have lemon, I would just eliminate it
Thanks for the recipe.
Is there a difference between sanitizing and disinfectinb?
According to the CDC, sanitizing is removing some germs. Disinfecting is removal of 99% or more of germs.
Thanks!
Thanks so much for making this post! Do to our current situation we disinfectant a lot with me being pregnant. I love to find ways to hacks things all the time. Instead of dawn dish soap, would Dr bronners Castile soap work for this? I try to use little chemicals as possible. Thank you in advance!
You can use Castile soap, but it is not as powerful of a surfactant as a dishwashing liquid like Dawn. This will keep it from being as strong at disinfecting. I have also not had as much luck with it mixing in this solution, but you can definitely use it if you have it on hand.
No no no no. This is BAD information and you’re speaking out of two sides of your mouth. Saying yes it disinfects and no, you’d need to use straight alcohol to kill germs. As another reader pointed out, this amount of diluted alcohol does NOT disinfect, AT ALL. Saying it cleans well doesn’t mean it disinfects. I know you’re trying to get views with a clickbaity title, but there’s no fact or science to this.
Once the alcohol dilution is 70% or higher (or close to), it kills germs. Stop saying it disinfects, but it doesn’t, but it does…..
Again, STRAIGHT alcohol or high percentage alcohol works WITHOUT water or very little water….NOT this recipe. Good lord.
Travis, I’m sorry, but are you a scientist? Do you test things in labs? Probably not. Here’s the thing, read the post. Everything you just said is written there. I never said rubbing alcohol does disinfect but doesn’t. You need to read. Cleaning and disinfecting are two different things. Feel free to read other articles on our website. Homemade cleaners cannot he tested in labs, and they have to be formulated to clean safely. Now, disinfecting means it must kill 99% of germs. The only home solution that can do this is rubbing alcohol. Why not just make something pure rubbing alcohol?? Well, it’s harsh on surfaces and should not be used to clean from day to day. This pandemic has surfaced many people like you that I don’t appreciate. Let’s see your qualifications and companies you’ve worked with, doubt you have them. Take time to do something worthwhile, not leave comments like this.
Hey Travis, by the way, the post was published LONG before this virus. I’ve also worked with this brand along with other brands and visited their labs to learn about ingredients. Which you can actually learn if you read the post. I doubt I’ll get a response back from you (rude people never do), but thought I’d share that with you too
I never comment on blog posts, but came to your website to look up some information. I am disgusted by people like this person names Travis. My husband is a retired chemist who worked for 30 years in the industry. He is the one who told me to come to Chemistry Cachet for tips on cleaning the home because too many people are sharing garbage out there right now. Looks like he didn’t read your post at all, and has absolutely no knowledge on the subject. Thank you to Chemistry Cachet for sharing things that actually help people right now.
Hi Deb, thanks for your comment! And I’m glad you found our website. Unfortunately, there have been a few people without any experience leaving hateful comments. I’m glad your husband told you about Chemistry Cachet 🙂 I hope it comes in handy
Thank you for putting this content up. People like you make my research loving personality happy. Question. If I wanted to make homemade disinfectant wipes according to what CDC recommends for killing coronavirus, how many cups of alchohol (70 percent or higher) to how many cups of water? Thanks in advance and stay well.
To meet CDC requirements, you would need to use all rubbing alcohol and eliminate the water completely. The problem with this, it can be harsh on surfaces overtime, so I would only disinfect the areas that need it and are touched often. I use these homemade wipes for basic cleaning, then use pure rubbing alcohol for disinfecting surfaces 🙂
Thank you and keep up the good work!! Take good care.
Wondering If the solution could be put in a spray bottle and used to spray on the surface then wipe down?
Yes it can. We have a similar all-purpose spray in our eBook. I would decrease the soap a little for easier spraying
Thank you for the recipe. Can I make a water infuse lemon too. I have 100% IPA wipes 800 pieces per bag, to dilute this wipes to make it 70% can I just infuse those lemon water plus all the other ingredients you have mentioned in the recipe? To infuse faster can you puree the lemon peel using food processor? Thank you
If they come as wipes, it is hard to dilute them. You can try with regular water, it doesn’t need to be lemon water. It will still take about 2 weeks to infuse the lemon even if you puree it. If you puree, it can be harder to strain too
Love the lemon-infused alcohol and the recommendation in the comments to strain it so it lasts longer.
For my cloths to soak in, I’ve been using a glass jar that has one of those rubber gasket sealing lids, not a screw top. Will the cloths get slimy or moldy if they’re not submerged? Is there an “expiration” time on the solution, or the infused alcohol?
I really appreciate this science-based site. Thanks for all the time you take to do this!
Lee
I have not have issues with cloths getting slimy or moldy when they aren’t submerged, but it is best to have them submerged. The solution stays good for 2 weeks or more, the only issues after that is possible mold since it isn’t preserved. The lemon infused alcohol is good for a long time, I have some that is over a year old and it is still being used. Just make sure the lid is air tight 🙂
Hi! I’ve been using your recipe for a while now and am hoping you’ll maybe have some insight into an issue I’m having.
After about 4-5 days, the solutions gets a little slimy. It still works wonderfully but the slimy feels gross!
I use bronners Castile soap because I have that on hand, and lemon-infused vodka, again because I already have that made up.
Do you think either of those things could be causing the slimy?
Oh, I also use crocheted scrubby washcloths and they aren’t completely covered with the solution, but they have completely soaked it up.
Any thoughts? Thinking of using more water perhaps. I always double the recipe.
Hi Cassia! This is the only issue with castile soap. It isn’t as strong of a degreaser like dish soap, so the solution won’t stay fresh as long. You can try making sure all the clothes are covered which will help, but in general, the dishwashing liquid like Dawn works best for anything you are keeping in a jar. Let me know if you have any other questions!
LEMON AMMONIA IS ALL I CAN FIND AND REALLY CANNOT FIND ALCOHOL EITHER…. CAN THIS LA BE SUB FOR ANY OF YOUR CLEANING PRODUCTS?
HANDS ARE GETTING REALLY DRY ANYTHING OUT THERE BETTER THAN EUCERIN LOTION TO USE?
CANNOT USE ALCOHOL WIPES JUST WASHING MY HANDS, OVER AND OVER AGAIN…IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I CAN USE, REALLY CANNOT TAKE SOAP AND WATER IN THE CAR WHILE I’M DRIVING..5-12-20
Lemon ammonia is good, but not good for this recipe. If you cannot find rubbing alcohol, you can substitute any drinking alcohol that is 120 proof or more. I add some castor oil to my hands when they are really dry. You can use hydrogen peroxide on your hands if you can’t use alcohol wipes. Just spray pure hydrogen peroxide on them. It isn’t as ideal as alcohol since it degrades quickly, but it can be a temporary substitute. More information can be read about it in this post.
I only have dawn ultra on hand. I’ve used it in this recipe before and it definitely requires a rinse and makes tons of suds. Can you suggest modifications with the use of Dawn Ultra?
I use about 1-2 tsp of the ultra for this recipe and that is usually just enough without being to sudsy. I love dawn ultra, but it will definitely produce more suds, so not as much is required.
Can you use ethyl alcohol or Everclear 190 proof grain alcohol instead of isopropyl alcohol?
You can use drinking alcohol like Everclear if it is 120 proof are more. I only recommend using this type of alcohol if it is all you can find. It isn’t as stable or cleans as well as rubbing alcohol. We have a recent post with more information about using other alcohol for disinfecting.
Thank you for your research and recipes. Have been using many for several years. I read regularly for needs and research.
It is tiring to read so many comments that ask fir information that you clearly explain in your posts and recipes and explain reasoning for and against using various ingredients and methods. Suggestion to others – read, and re-read before posting questions and comments.
Thank you Alexis for your researvh, sharing, attention to detail, and clarity.
Hi Patricia! Thanks so much for your support and comment! I really appreciate hearing that 🙂 I hope you are doing well and have a good week
Wow! Questions AND ANSWERS! on this one topic for over 2 years! So kind of you to answer every question even though many of them were just repeated in different words. I’m definitely going to try this homemade product. I think I will use my reusable bamboo “paper” towels in the solution and see how that works. Thank you for the wonderful posts. Keep them coming. P.S. I have awful water where I live and everything comes out of my dishwasher with a thick, nasty, white film dried onto it. I am using a product called Lemi-Shine from Walmart which helps a lot but it is rather pricey. Any suggestions?
Thanks so much! For your dishwasher, have you tried any type of heavy duty dishwashing pods? I also have thick, hard water since we live in a lake town. Nothing seems to get pass the hard water film. I started using cascade pods, the heavy duty ones. I learned they are developed to open at different times during the cycle as opposed to the liquid or powder that just comes out at once. It helped mine tremendously. It might be worth a try if you haven’t tried them yet!
7-28-20 Hello Alexis, I started using your products for a while now…I started to use your DIY REUSEABLE CLOROX WIPES (WITHOUT THE LEMON INFUSED ALCOHOL, JUST REGULAR ALCOHOL 70%)…I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND ‘ANY’ LEMON INFUSED ALCOHOL..ALL I AM ABLE TO FIND IS 100% PURE “ESSENTIAL “OIL”, LEMON AROMATHERAPY, BY BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS FROM WALMART…WHAT IS IN IT IS, CITRUS LIMON/100% PURE COLD PRESSED LEMON RIND…..I HAVE NOT USED THIS OIL BECAUSE IT IS OIL AND I WANTED TO GET WITH YOU FIRST ABOUT THIS..ANOTHER CHOICE I HAD WAS REALEMON 100% LEMON JUICE.
NO SUGAR IS IN IT, ALL THAT IS IN THE INGREDIENCE IS ; WATER, LEMON JUICE CONCENETRATE AND LESS THAN 2% OF: LEMON OIL, SODIUM BENZOATE AND SODIUM METABISULFITES (PRESERVATIVE), CONTAINS SULFATES. REFRIGERATE AFTER OPENING…1/2 CUP REALEMON=1/2 CUP FRESH LEMON JUICE…DON’T REALLY KNOW IF ADDING LEMON JUICE WOULD CHANGE THE DINAMICS OF IT CONSIDERING ADDING LEMON ALCOHOL WHAT IS IN THE LEMON ALCOHOL TO MAKE IS LEMON, LEMON PEEL!!!JUICE IS THAT MUCH DIFFERENT!!THE LEMON OIL I USE IS THE LEMON AROMATHERAPY OIL!!!IS THAT WRONG TOO….HELP ME
Hi Sandy, the lemon infused alcohol is homemade. Here is the link. All you need is some lemons peels and the rubbing alcohol 🙂
I looked at your link for peeling the lemons to get the rinds, BOY HOW EXPENSIVE!! WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE FRUIT/JUICE IN THE FRUIT? I CANNOT EAT/DRINK ACIDIC FRUIT SO IF I CANNOT SQUEEZE THE JUICE INTO THE PEELS I’ll just have to throw it away….Sorry for being not knowledgeable but I have to be very frugal now and buying a dozen lemons where I cannot use all of it is wasteful to me….BOY OH BOY ALEXIS…DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER REUSEABLE WIPES RECIPE WITH LESS EXPENSIVE INGREDIENCE. RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONG HERE….:-) thanks KEEP EM COMING….LOVE YA…7-31-20
Lemons are very cheap where I live…about 10 cents, sometimes 20 cents. I juice the lemons and use it for cooking and putting on fish. For the reusable cleaning wipes, you can always just eliminate the lemon. Just use plain rubbing alcohol 🙂
THANKS ALEXIS, LEMONS HERE IN PFL ARE $.68 cents each…….FYI…8-3-20
I DO NOT LIKE LEMONS ON FISH OR ANYTHING FOR THAT MATTER (FOOD)….NO KIDDING…SORRY….MAYBE ONE EXCEPTION LEMON MERANGUE PIE!!!! ha ha
I WILL ELIMINATE THE LEMONS, THANKS FOR LETTING ME KNOW, I NEED TO MAKE MORE, LIKE NOW…. BE SAFE WE NEED YOU 🙂
AEXIS, JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU could USE, “grapefruit’ PEELS, instead of the lemons, ALOT OF NEIGHBOS AROUND ME HAVE GRAPEFRUIT TREES THAT THEY JUST LET FALL OFF THE TREES AND rott ….JUST COUREOUS…SAME ACIDIC VALUE LEMONS VERSES GRAPEFRUITS???????????
THANKS AGAIN, 8-3-20……….BE SAFE….
You can use grapefruit or orange peels too. They do have similar properties, but I have found the lemons to be stronger. You are welcome to use grapefruit or any other citrus you have on hand
Due to panic buyers, I have not been able to get 70% rubbing alcohol since January. Lately can find a 50% version (for twice the previous cost but at least it smells like Isopropyl should, you know?)
Given that we mix this product down with water anyway, what would you suggest as a ingredients adjustment?
Also, I find this product works better with pink T-shirt fabric than any other color. 😉
I would double the amount of alcohol it calls for in this recipe if you are using the 50%…just remember to disinfect, you will need to use pure 70% alcohol without dilution. For cleaning, adding in the 50% alcohol and doubling the amount will work fine 🙂 And definitely the PINK fabric works best!!!
I would like to use this but am having a hard time finding the lemon products……
any substitutions out there?????
Thanks Alexis I just love your PROFESSIONAL WISDOM…..and assisting us with a more natural way of cleaning…..
11-2-2020 stay safe……
You can eliminate the lemon 🙂
I wish I’d found you sooner. I cannot tell you how relieved I am to find someone who believes in science and understands chemicals and how everything is literally made from them. I’m so tired of all the fear mongering and talk of ToXiC cHeMiCaLs and how all we need are essential oils and vinegar to have cHeMicAl FrEe homes. I want to be more environmentally conscious with the products I use and don’t mind making my own, but I’m so tired of everyone’s claims that their concoction will clean and disinfect with no science to back it up. This is an issue I’ve had since before the pandemic, but I have absolutely not been willing to gamble my health and that of my family’s on unproven recipes. You are doing a fabulous and important job educating people about the science of cleaning.
Thanks so much! Yes, I had a hard time reaching and seeing things online right now. So many people claim vinegar to be this incredible all-purpose cleaner and disinfectant, but it isn’t. And these people have thousands of followers who listen to every word they say. Everyday I see the things and cringe LOL! I try to spread science based truth to help people understand you need certain chemicals for certain things, and sometimes “natural” isn’t best. Glad you found me too. Have a good day!
Hi! I just wanted your opinion on using the lemon infused alcohol in a spray bottle to disinfect after cleaning with the wipes..would the addition of the lemon negate the alcohols disinfecting power?
No, it is a very powerful disinfectant. Here is a post on using it for that.