We are getting into that time of year, cold and flu season. I've always been a fan of the ease of Clorox or Lysol Wipes just to have easily on hand to wipe down doorknobs, handles, and other frequently touched surfaces. But since we've moved on from toxic cleaners and started making homemade cleaners and using natural cleaners, we got rid of all the store bought wipes we had.
Now I know it’s not that hard just to grab a spray bottle of cleaner and wipe down those surfaces but if you want cleaning wipes, it turns out that it’s not that hard to make them!
Start with a roll of paper towels. I don’t normally purchase paper towels since we use all cloth but I grabbed this at a local discount store for $0.40 for the roll. Using a bread knife, cut the roll in half.
Remove the cardboard from the center of the towels and pull out the middle paper towel.
Pull the towelling up from the middle of the roll.
Place the roll inside an old container, plastic bag, or whatever can be air-tight to seal the moisture in.
Add in a cup of your favorite cleaner. It can be homemade or store bought. Use an all-purpose cleaner.
Let the container sit for a bit so the toweling can soak up the cleaner. After at least 30 minutes, flip over the container to soak the other side so the towels get full soaked. Save the other half of the roll of the next batch. Since the cleaner cost was minimal I paid just $0.20 for this project. That's a much better price than what these cost in the store!
Use the towels as needed and just like you would use store bought cleaning wipes. If they dry out slightly you may need to add in a little water to re-soak the towels.
Now if you really want to stay away from disposable towels you can do this same idea but with cloth rags. Just stick all the rags in a bag or container just as you would the towels to keep them moist and ready at a moments notice.
Find even more DIY projects on Little House Living!
Do you already make your own cleaners? Have you ever tried to make these cleaning wipes?
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
perfect for when electricity goes out too.
What sort of non-toxic cleaner do you use for these? I want to get away from
chemicals/toxins as much as possible. I’m sure you’re busy, but I would appreciate it if you could respond. Thanks.
Rita at Cashel1916@yahoo.com
I prefer BioKleen cleaners. It’s an excellent and fairly inexpensive brand that’s totally non-toxic and they smell wonderfully citrusy!
Excellent tutorial – and simple enough a kid could make it. I think I have our next homeschool project….thanks!!!
We made home made baby wipes the same way. (only with baby oil and baby shampoo instead of cleaning soaps) They are fantastic, much less expensive, and do not include any yuckies!
I also have a recipe here for homemade baby wipes in case anyone is interested in making them! http://www.littlehouseliving.com/homemade-baby-wipes.html
I might have to try these I was just thinking we gave up papertowls mostly (1 roll lasts 3+ months) but I can’t seem to get rid of the Clorox wipes though we don’t use many but they are the easiest thing for toilet seats, doorknobs and light switches.
I personally like them for door handles. I know it’s just as easy to grab a rag but for some reason I just like the ease of grabbing a disposable wipe for them!
The Folgers coffee cans are perfect storage for these wipes. I make my own wipes for the bathroom and my kids can use the containers very easily. They are plastic with softer easy to pop on lids and have handles too. they can accommodate the extra big rolls as well. Half a sheet size towels, select a size, works better, I found that out.
We don’t drink the folgers, because we prefer organic coffee, but neighbors or friends are happy to collect some cans for us. They are great for kids storage, or dry food (oats, cereal, flour) storage also.
I started using Lemon & Lime Peels, Orange Peels, and White Vinegar – (you can add stuff into a large glass jar and let soak for a week or so, then pour into a spray bottle, or make wipes.
I’ve been using this for my “all purpose cleaner” since I found it on Pnterest last year, and love it!
If you can edit my post where I made the typo, please do! Sorry, was in a hurry.
I have been doing homemade wipes for about a year now. We do baby wipes, glass-, bleach-, hand sanitizing- wipes. I put them in Folger’s tubs and I cut an X in the top for dispensing just like store bought wipes. Wonderful! I’m sure people wonder why I have Folger’s tubs everywhere including by our toilets (3yo who likes a wet wipe for #2, lol) and in or car (hand wipes). I am always happy to explain!
What an awesome post! I recently came across a disposable baby wipe tutorial that used paper towel rolls cut in half and placed in a Rubbermaid #6 container(with homemade wipe solution of course).