Homemade Cleaning Wipes Solution For Speedy Cleaning
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Want to know how to make a homemade cleaning wipes solution? Read on!
What household chore do you hate the most? Cleaning the bathroom is the least favoured task in our house. My partner and I split the household chores, and that works well for us. That is until it comes to cleaning the bathroom. Specifically, our upstairs bathroom frequented by our children. Honestly, the state they leave it in would make you weep sometimes. Weep, I tell you!
I’ve been thinking about how we can make cleaning the bathroom easier. But also give my children greater autonomy. And I thought cleaning wipes. I could make a non-toxic homemade cleaning wipes solution, and leave a jar in the bathroom. This means anyone in the house (including my kids) can wipe down the surfaces in between big cleans. That’s the dream, anyway!
The wipes turned out to be so useful, that I made an extra jar for the kitchen. And so useful, that I wanted to share the recipe for my homemade cleaning wipes solution with you today. Sharing is caring, after all!
What’s Wrong With Conventional Cleaning Wipes?
Why I am not just buying a packet of wipes from the supermarket?
For a start, I’m trying to reduce the single-use plastic we use in our house. Many conventional cleaning wipes are made of non-biodegradable plastic. Even the wipes marketed as biodegradable and flushable shouldn’t actually be flushed. These flushed wipes are behind 93% of blockages in UK sewers. In short, they’re an environmental disaster.
And secondly, scientists have warned that some conventional cleaning products could be as bad for your lungs as smoking 20 cigarettes a day. This homemade cleaning wipes solution means I avoid single-use plastic and reduce the number of harsh chemicals in our home. Double win!
How to Make A Homemade Cleaning Wipes Solution
Please note, this cleaning wipes solution isn’t suitable for use on granite, marble, quartz, or any other kind of natural stone. This is because vinegar can be corrosive to natural stone. Keep reading if you have natural stone because I’ve got a stone-safe recipe for you further down the page.
You Will Need
- A 750 ml jar or similar airtight container
- 125 ml cooled boiled water
- 125 ml white vinegar (this is where I buy my white vinegar in bulk)
- 5 drops of lemon essential oil
- 5 drops of lavender essential oil
- 4 drops of lemongrass essential oil
- 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid
- Clean dry reusable cloths
Depending on the size of your jar and the size of your cloths, the number of cloths you will need will vary. I used some old Cheeky Wipes terry squares I had leftover from when my daughter was little. Here I found nine Cheeky Wipes fit in my jar perfectly. However, you could use any fabric scraps or kitchen cloths to hand. You could even cut up an old towel that’s seen better days.
Method
In a measuring jug, mix the water, vinegar, dishwashing liquid, and essential oils together.
Place your dry cloths into the clean dry jar.
Next pour the solution over the cloths, making sure you try to cover the cloths evenly. Job done!
If the cloths feel too dry, make a little more solution and pour over. The goal is that your cloths feel moist to the touch, not completely sodden.
How To Use
Whenever you want to clean, simply take a cloth from the jar. You may need to squeeze out some of the homemade cleaning wipes solution if it feels too wet.
Wipe down surfaces (remember, not any natural stone surfaces). Once you’re done, pop the wipe in the wash with the rest of your laundry.
When the jar is empty, make up a new batch of solution.
Because the cleaning wipes solution is made using water, it does have a relatively short shelf life. I therefore wouldn’t use water straight from the tap – boiling the water helps prolong the shelf life. As such, the wipes should last up to four weeks or so in the jar. If the solutions starts to smell bad, or the cloths start to look mouldy before then, then wash your cloths and start again.
A Stone Safe Cleaning Wipes Alternative
If vinegar isn’t your thing, or if you have natural stone, then let me show you how to make a vinegar-free homemade cleaning wipes solution using liquid Castile soap. Washing up liquid also works fine if you don’t have any castile soap.
- 250 ml cooled boiled water
- 2 teaspoons liquid Castile soap or washing up liquid
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- 4 drops tea tree essential oil
Follow the same steps as before, again making up a little more solution if your cloths feel too dry.
Do The Homemade Cleaning Wipes Disinfect?
These homemade wipes don’t disinfect, they are cleaning wipes. This means they are ideal for wiping down dirt and dust from surfaces, such as toothpaste smears and soap scum. However, they don’t kill germs in the same way that disinfectants do.
The good news is that I am currently working on some homemade disinfecting wipes using 70% isopropyl alcohol. I’ll be sure to share the recipe on Moral Fibres once I’m happy with it.
I’m really big on natural cleaning, so I have a ton of other natural cleaning products to make. Right this way my friend!
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