During any natural disaster, humans have a tendency to over-purchase items they fear they might never see again. Panic purchasing is a response that we have seen most recently with the COVID-19 outbreak where certain products appear to be flying off shelves, one, in particular, being disinfecting wipes. Over purchasing of certain products can leave companies struggling to keep up with supply and demand and consumers fighting for the last container of disinfecting wipes. It also doesn’t help that COVID-19 came with a lot of uncertainties of knowing what the future may or may not look like because of such rapid spreading.
Stocking up on items that might need to sustain us for an indefinite amount of time (i.e. disinfecting wipes) seemed like the appropriate response at the time. Some might say it was worth it even if it meant standing in lines for hours to check out and ensuring they were the first person at the door before opening hours. There are supplies that have come back around after all the initial hoarding and over purchasing. It has been helpful that stores have put a limit on those certain products that can be purchased to try and let everyone have a chance of purchasing these products. So why is it that we still cannot find disinfecting wipes?
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Finding Disinfecting Wipes
Why is it still so hard to find disinfecting wipes? What the heck were people using to disinfect their home’s surfaces before this deadly virus came along? It is probably safe to say that no manufacturing company was prepared for how individuals would respond to the Coronavirus outbreak. In a recent interview, the CEO of Clorox, Benno Dorer stated that they saw a “demand for disinfecting products increase by 500%”. That sounds insane, right? How in the world could they have planned for that and with the highest peaks in sales occurring during flu season, this company definitely feels like a fish out of water.
The demand of finding disinfecting wipes does not seem to be letting up much. As soon as these wipes hit the shelves they are gone and no matter what time of day you go to the store, the shelves seem to be empty, with a taped piece of hanging paper that reads “limit 2 per customer”. The timing of when disinfecting wipes will be fully stocked on shelves is projecting towards the summer months. Even though Clorox has increased their production lines to run 24/7 and have narrowed the products they are making, it is still challenging to keep up with such demands. The good news is, they say they are delivering products every day so one day you may get lucky. Or you could give yourself some time back with not running to the stores more than you need to and make your own disinfecting wipes in the interim!
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How To DIY Disinfecting Wipes
First things first, in order to make these truly disinfecting wipes, you must use at least 70% Isopropyl Alcohol. Why so specific on the exact percentage of alcohol? Because this solution has been shown to to have the best cleaning and disinfecting properties when used properly. Without getting into all the science of alcohol just trust us that this will be your sure ticket to warding off bacteria, fungus and viruses. Below are all the items you will need to create your wipes:
- Isopropyl Alcohol 70% (2 cups)
- Hydrogen Peroxide (2 Tbs)
- Distilled Water (1/2 cup)
- Essential Oils (30-40 drops)
- Paper Towels (1 roll)
- Storage Container (any size to fit half a roll of paper towels)
Once you have all these items together follow these super easy steps below:
- Cut your paper towel roll in half with a sharp knife, make sure it is not serrated. You may need to use a little muscle on this one!
- Take your half roll of paper towels and put them into your container. If you have an old disinfecting wipe container, this would work great instead of purchasing something new.
- Mix all liquid ingredients together and pour over top of the paper towels.
- Don’t forget to remove the center cardboard insert of your halved paper towel roll to make it easier taking out each wipe.
- Voila! You have your own wipes!
Note: the essentials oils are optional but are fantastic for fragrance and some scents also have disinfecting properties. Check out the list here for oils you can use that have both.
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How Often To Disinfect Surfaces
Now that you have some handy dandy wipes always available, how often should you be cleaning those surfaces. The CDC recommends daily disinfecting steps along with additional steps should someone in your home become sick. Practicing daily cleaning of high touch areas, such as light switches, counter tops, refrigerator, door knobs, etc. can help getting into a good routine of keeping your home free of germs. It is also a good habit to wipe surfaces first with soap and water to eliminate dirt and grime and then disinfect. Remember to let the disinfecting solution dry on each surface in order to ensure bacteria and germs are killed minimizing chances of spreading any infections. And always, ALWAYS wash your hands!
Who knew that a pandemic would cause such over purchasing that months later you still cannot consistently find some supplies. Even though disinfecting wipes are still going like hotcakes there is some hope that come summertime, production will catch up and picking them up on your weekly store run won’t be an issue. In the meantime, there are easy ways to make your own wipes at home with a few simple ingredients. Let’s be honest, these will be less harsh to the skin and save you some money. Win-Win!
WANT TO READ MORE?
Check out this article on 30 Coronavirus Memes To Add Some Much Needed Laughter To Your Day.
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