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The COVID-19 pandemic has made all of us are far more conscientious of keeping our home clean than ever before, but with everyone thinking alike you might have difficulty tracking down some popular cleaning products. Never fear, we’ve got some DIY solutions to solve your stock issues.
You probably already have most of the ingredients already. If you’ve got baking soda, vinegar, and rubbing alcohol, you’re ready to go in many cases.
To jazz up these DIY cleaning solutions, you can also round up your favorite essential oils to add for scent. A few drops of clove, eucalyptus, peppermint, or lavender will work wonders with any of the ideas below.
Hand sanitizer
It’s recommended by the CDC to wash your hands with soap and water whenever possible. But, for those times when that isn’t possible, hand sanitizer is the answer. To make your own, you’ll need Isopropyl alcohol, known as rubbing alcohol, aloe vera gel, a bowl, a spoon, a funnel, and either a spray bottle or liquid soap container to hold it ready for use.
The key to making an effective hand sanitizer is to stick to a 2:1 ratio of alcohol to aloe vera, which keeps the alcohol content around 60%. This is the minimum amount needed to kill most germs, according to the CDC.
The easiest way to do this is to use ⅔ cup of alcohol and ⅓ cup aloe vera. Once you’ve washed your hands and wiped down the surface you’ll be using, mix well, and add your essential oil for fragrance. When you’re done, sanitize your container using freshly boiled water, being careful while you handle it. You can then pour the mix into the sanitized container for storage, taking care not to touch the inside of the bottle once sanitized.
Bleach spray
Bleach spray can be applied directly onto many surfaces, but some people also use it to make DIY wipes by saturating a folded paper towel. The CDC has published its recipe for creating your own bleach spray, along with some guidelines for using it, that you can read here.
What you’ll need:
- Bleach
- Water
To make a bleach solution, mix 5 tablespoons (1/3 cup) bleach per gallon of water, or 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water.
It’s extremely important to get the ratio right here, so take care with your measurements. Bleach solutions will be effective for disinfection for up to 24 hours.
All-purpose cleaner
You can clean everything with this. Seriously! Your floors, your stovetop, stains that magically appear anywhere…this solution will handle it.
Simply combine:
- 1 cup of white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of baking soda
- 1 cup of water
- a few drops of essential oil
- 1 empty spray bottle
Tub cleaner
Bathrooms can be a force to be reckoned with when it’s time for a clean, but don’t fret. This is a tough mixture that can take on any tough job.
Simply combine:
- 1 cup of white vinegar
- 4 teaspoons fragrance free dish soap
- a few drops of essential oil
- 1 empty spray bottle
Window cleaner
Making your windows sparkle with nothing but your own effort and ingenuity is hugely rewarding. Make your own window cleaner and get results that are clearly worth every second!
Simply combine:
- ¼ cup of rubbing alcohol
- ¼ cup of white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
- 2 cups of warm water
We hope you enjoy making these DIY cleaning products. Happy cleaning!
