Cleaning Supplies: DIY Wipes

Are you interested in making your own cleaning supplies?  When you make your own, you can control the ingredients and make them, not only safer, but healthier for your family.  Please join me in welcoming Edna as she teaches us how to make our own cleaning wipes.

Cleaning Supplies: DIY Wipes

Nowadays, cleaning wipes have many uses in the household. They are ideal for disinfecting, removing spills, debris and dust. They can also be used for a multitude of surfaces. But instead of heading for the local store to buy commercial wipes with toxic ingredients, how about you make them yourself? Here is a less expensive and completely nature-friendly way to make some DIY cleaning wipes.

Recipe #1

You will need:

Coffee canister or glass container with a plastic lid
Scissors
Needle
Sharp knife
Paper towel roll
1 teaspoon of dish soap (liquid)
¼ cup of rubbing alcohol
¼ cup of water
½ cup of vinegar
10 to 15 drops of essential oils (optional)

Steps:

The reason that you want to use a coffee canister is that it can best preserve the properties of the ingredients and at the same time it can be used over and over again. You need a plastic lid so you can make a hole in it.

Start by cutting the paper towels. They need to be the same height as the coffee can so they can fit in. Use a sharp knife to do the trick and then place the towel into the container. Next, mix all the liquid ingredients in a bowl and swirl. Now pour the mixture into the coffee can, going slowly over the towels. Wait for the paper towels to absorb the mixture and remove the cardboard tube. Then carefully pull a tissue from the center of the towels.

The next step is to make a hole into the plastic lid using a needle and scissors. When you do this, make sure to send the paper towel through the hole and secure the lid. Voilà! It’s done.

Recipe #2

You will need:
Pre-cut T-shirts or rags (about 20 same-size pieces will suffice)
Glass container or Mason jar
¾ cup of vinegar (distilled)
¾ cup of water (filtered)
20-30 drops of essential oils of your choosing (mix lavender, lemon and bergamont) (optional)

Steps:

It is preferable to use a glass container rather than to store your wipes in a plastic one (the plastic will react with the oils). Take all your liquid ingredients and mix them in the container. Stir well. Toss your cloths/rags/pieces of T-shirt in the container and close the lid. Make sure it is well-positioned and secure.

When you are done with this task, do not forget to store the jar in a dark, cool place.

Use these non-toxic homemade wipes for various surfaces such as porcelain, linoleum, tile, stainless steel, glass, etc. Since they are made of natural ingredients, they are not harmful for your home and they can practically be used anywhere in the house. Clean your faucets, microwave, sink, floors, stovetop and countertops with these wipes. Remove stains and spills. Disinfect your kitchen surfaces before cooking. Keep a container of wipes in the bathroom just in case you need to wipe down your toilet, shower doors, floors, mirrors and sinks.

DIY and Go Green and Clean

The best thing about homemade wipes is that they can be used over and over. Since they are made of cloth, they can be machine or hand washed and put back in the jar/container.   Prior to using your homemade cleaning wipes, be sure to squeeze out the excess liquid.
Distilled vinegar is a great ally of cleaning and disinfecting. It helps to prevent mold, eliminates germs and bacteria and leaves a fresh odor.
The purpose of using essential oils is to improve the qualities of the cleaning wipes and to personalize them.

For more ideas on DIY Natural Cleaning Products, please visit this link from The 104 Homestead.  If you need a quick laundry wash, here’s one using vinegar and citrus peels – great way to recycle peels!  Ever made your own laundry soap or dryer sheets?

Many thanks to Edna for sharing her expertise with us.  Edna Thomson runs a small company which offers gardening services in Hendon – be sure to check out her link!

* Vintage wash graphic comes from Old Design Shop