DIY: Make your Own Disinfecting Wipes

You know how yesterday I mentioned I was pretty under the weather? Well I thought it would be nice to share this DIY project with you, because I used the heck out of these DIY disinfecting wipes over the past several weeks and just love them! 

When I came across the idea of making your own disinfecting wipes, I’ll admit, I was skeptical. Would the paper towels would tear? Would they dry up? I had a bunch of questions running through my mind-- but the only way to find out if these worked were to give them a go! In the end, I couldn’t be happier with the outcome and love using them!

Here’s how to make your own disinfecting wipes. I also provided recipes so you can create your own glass cleaner or a more natural cleaner using vinegar. I used Pine Sol because I had it and enjoy the fresh smell. 

Supplies Needed:

• Pine Sol or Vinegar (Recipes are at the bottom of this post for various types of cleaners you can create)
• Sturdy paper towels (I choose Bounty)
• Water
• Glad or Ziplock Container that is large enough to fit part of a paper towel roll in ( I found the Glad Designer Bowl at Target–Two for $2.99)
• Serrated Knife
• Something to cut a 1/2″ hole through plastic (I used a 1/2 inch drill bit- that worked well)
• Measuring cups
• Bowl

1. Cut your paper towel role length wise so it will fit nicely in the plastic container you’ve selected. I used a large serrated knife and it cut through the paper towels just fine!

2. Next you will need to cut a hole in the top of the plastic lid so you can easily pull the paper towels or should I say, disinfecting wipes, out. I asked my husband for a 1/2″ drill bit and used that. But because the plastic you are cutting through is so thin, I think a knife or even sharp scissors will work just as well. Just be careful and use a cutting board.

3. Mix your desired solution.

Here are several recipes you can use:

Disinfectant Cleaning Recipe (this is the one I used):

• 1/4 – 1/2 cup of pine cleaning solution such as Pine Sol
• 2 1/2 – 2 3/4 cup of water

General Cleaning Surface Recipe:

• 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• Optional: A few drops of favorite scented essential oil to cut the vinegar smell

Window Glass Cleaning Recipe:

• 1/2 cup of rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

(source)

4. Once you have your solution mixed and your paper towel roll set in the plastic container, pour the solution over the paper towels. Put the lid back on the plastic container and allow them to sit overnight.

5. Once the towels have sat overnight, then the cardboard tube in the center of the paper towel roll should easily come out (See the bottom right photo above).

6. Carefully pull the end of the paper towels from the inside, where the cardboard roll had been. Thread the end of the towels through the hole in the lid, and replace the lid.

TA DA! You know have your own household cleaning wipes. As I mentioned early, I was skeptical of this project and didn’t know if was worth the time it took to cut and drill but it really is simple to do and you can reuse the container over and over again.

What do you think? Are you up for making your own disinfecting wipes?