Three Homemade Cleaning Wipes Recipes
A simple tutorial with three recipes for making your own Homemade Cleaning Wipes.
This post was sponsored by Viva Towels. All thoughts and opinions are 100% our own.
There is nothing like being trapped in your house with children, pets, and husbands… to get you in the mood for deep cleaning the house. About 3 days into my 5 days of being snowed in the state of the house was starting to drive me crazy. How can 4 people (and two crazy dogs) make such a mess in such a short time?! The one good thing that came out of the mess, and the fact that I was completely out of store bought cleaning wipes, was that I finally got around to trying my hand at making homemade cleaning wipes. It was pretty easy!
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All you need to get started is some quality paper towels, you don’t want them falling apart when they get wet. I use Viva® Towels for everything in my house. They have a soft and smooth texture, like an cloth and they are great for cleaning delicate surfaces like countertops and coffee tables, and even soft enough for little hands and faces. Viva® Towels are also strong and durable like cloth and can withstand multiple rinses, and of course they soak up a lot of liquid, handy when your 3 year old starts fixing her own drinks. Viva® also makes Viva® Vantage® which have a scrubby texture, like a terrycloth. Perfect for scrubbing bathroom counters or tough stains on your stove top. So, you need a roll of quality paper towels, a serrated knife, an airtight container, and the ingredients necessary for your cleaning solution. I’m giving you three recipes here one for general cleaning, one with bleach, and one glass cleaner.
Whichever recipe you choose to make you start by using a serrated knife to cut your paper towel roll in half. It sounds harder than it is. Just start sawing and eventually you will hack through it! Viva® Towels are nice and thick and it still only took me a minute to cut through it.
Next you put half of the paper towel roll in your airtight container. You can use any kind of container but my Viva® Towels fit perfectly in an empty cleaning wipes container (extra large) that I had leftover. I just peeled off the label and shoved my paper towels in. It took some squishing but once I got them in there it was good fit! If you want to use an old store bought cleaning wipe container but your paper towel roll is too big you can peel a few layers of paper towels off, or just wait until your paper towel roll has been partially used then cut it up. If your kids are anything like mine paper towels go quickly!
With your paper towels ready it’s time to mix up your cleaning solution. Each formula has slightly different ingredients but the steps are the same. Pour your ingredients into a bowl, or in my case a measuring cup, give them a little stir and you’re done.
Pour the mixture over your paper towels making sure to move around as you pour so every bit of your paper towels get saturated.
Once you have poured in all your liquid let it sit for a couple of minutes then reach in and pull the cardboard tube out of the center. I’ll admit I didn’t really think this was going to work, it looked way too easy, but it did! That cardboard was soaked and it just pulled right out.
Now you can grab a paper towel from the center and pull up so it feeds from the middle.
If you used an old store bought cleaning wipes container then it is already set up to let you pull one towel at a time. Just feed the paper towel you pulled from the middle of the roll through the hole in the lid. If you used another container just put a hole in the top so you can pull the paper towels through, or, don’t put a hole in the top and just open up your container to get your paper towels. It works either way.
You have two paper towel roll halves so go ahead and mix up another formula or save the other half for when you need to make refills. There is something about making your own cleaner that inspires you to dive right in and start tackling the biggest messes. When my homemade cleaning wipes were ready I tossed the kids outside let the kids head out to play in the snow and I set to work on the kitchen. I used the non-bleach and glass cleaner wipes and they worked great. No more store bought wipes for me!
Here are the formulas I used:
Glass Cleaner
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
- 1/2 cup vinegar
Bleach Wipes
- 2 tablespoons Bleach
- 2 1/2 cups of water
Cleaning Wipes (non bleach)
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon liquid dish soap
- 5-10 drops essential oil (optional)
Directions (same for all formulas): Mix ingredients together and pour over paper towels.
Happy Cleaning!
Oh my goodness! This is such a great idea! Thanks so much!
Oh, I love this!! This would save so much!!
What a fantastic idea! Definitely have to try this one out!
Whaaat? I never even imagined this can be done at home.
Homemade cleaning wipes? I’ve been living in a lie whole my life!
Thank you for sharing your tips, might prepare my very own wipes tonight!
I tried the bleach wipes recipe. I used the good Viva vantage paper towels and they just fell apart when I tried to pull one out. What did I do wrong?
I’m sorry Netta I’m not sure what happened. I am still using the batch I made for this post and my paper towels are holding up great. Did you have a lot of extra liquid? My paper towels completely soaked everything up and still aren’t dripping wet.
I think it’s because my bleach is concentrated. It just turned the paper towels to mush. I just did the vinegar recipe and it’s working fine! Thanks so much!
I like using the blue shop towels for my homemade wipes. Sturdy, soft, and inexpensive.
How long will these last before becoming moldy?
I’ve been using mine for 3 months and they are fine.
Just wanted to share that bleach degrades into salt and water within around 24hours of being mixed with water. It may SMELL like bleach and can even remove color from clothes but it does NOT disinfect anymore. I know this because i called the folks at Clorox. Call them and they’d be glad to confirm this. They recommended I make up a new bleach solution every single day in a spray bottle.
Thanks for letting us know.
Thank you kindly
Thank you for sharing. Are there other recipes?
Some wipes I have used smell like they have lemon in them.
To add a scent you just add a few (10 or so) drops of essential oils in the fragrance that you want.
Do you have to use a glass container when you use essential oils? I use oils frequently and was told note to use with plastic because it leatches the oil to the plastic.
I’m not sure about that. I’m no essential oils expert but I haven’t had a problem doing it this way. I will look into it. Thank you!
KATHLEEN:
Like so many others, you mention using essential oils in the mix.
If any of you have pets that walk on that floor- – -DON’T use them until you know which ones are harmful to your pets. Some can make them sick, others are fatal, such as tea tree oil, which does kill germs.
First thing to do is call your vetenarian & ask if they have either a list or a reference from the many sites that are online. Not all of them say the same identical things, so I went on several sites to get a good look at what is on their list.
Believe it or not, the safest thing you can use is plain vinegar & water! It cleans well, is safe to use around babies, kids, and pets. It’s also economical. So, that’s what I use.
Noted, there are commercial cleaner brands out there that say that they are safe around people &/or pets. Again, use caution and read those labels!
For starters, try these 2 sites:
MyPetNeedsThat.com/best-floor-cleaners-for-pets and the ASPCA site. Sorry that the above didn’t turn into links for you.
Sandra
This is a fabulous idea. Thank u so much 4 sharing it. I am older &my sons are all grownup. However because of my age, sometimes I find it difficult 2 drive. Now I can still have my cleaning products on hand. Thank you!
I love being able to make my own. I hope it helps you out when you can’t make it to the store 🙂
The paper towels don’t rip or get all soggy in the container or while using? If the viva towels are that strong that’s great! I will definitely be doing this
They don’t. I really think it is all about the paper towel and Viva really seems to hold up. I love mine!
Just started searching for a recipe for wipes to clean the bathroom:) thanks!! Hadn’t thought of reusing the wipes containers that we’ve already bought so live that idea!
Only thing is I’ve been making homemade baby wipes a while now and just discovered it’s easier to cut the paper towel with a sharp NON-SERRATED knife actually. Less messy. Try it:)
Great tip I’m going to try that next time. Thanks!
Would you mind sharing you baby wipes receipe? Is it good for kids with sensitive skin? Thanks!
Sharp knife is better than serrated, I agree.
I’ve been instructed that bleach breaks down after 24 hours to just salt & water.
Karen, very interesting! I will have to do some research on that. This raises many questions like when does it break down? Once it is combined with air? Does it depend on the container it is in?
No. It depends on storage, solution ratio, container, contaminants, etc… but ¨no” overall. I have noticed a couple of misconceptions in the comments sections — one even citing Clorox’ website. Here is the link to their official answer, which is a good one. https://www.clorox.com/how-to/laundry-basics/product-usage-guides/shelf-life-of-bleachwater-solutions/
Mix enough at the proper (and safe!) ratio for a weekś worth of normal usage and you should be good to go. If you are cleaning up puke or something which you know there to be bacteria in, make a fresh solution. It only takes a second to measure: Disinfecting: Ratio: 1/4 (minimum) to 3/4 (maximum) cup of bleach to 1 gallon of cool water or 1 table- spoon (minimum) to 3 tablespoons (maximum) of bleach to 1 quart of water or for most folks: (at most) 1 Tablespoon per cup of cold water; or (at least) 1 teaspoon per cup of cold water. Adding more bleach does not kill more stuff better — it just potentially poisons whomever (whatever) comes into contact with it.
Hi there. I know I’m a lil late to the party but thought I’d leave a comment anyway. I have been making my own wipes for some years now I think anything we can make at home over store bought can never be a bad idea. Not only is it more thrifty but also great for our environment and knowing what is in the product is all peace of mind.
Also just a suggestion for those who are worried about the bleach not doing it’s job germ wise or for those who prefer to not use it for whatever reason. If you add tea tree oil or eucalyptus oil in they are wonderful natural germ busters and also help get the sticky grimier messes off. I use a glass canister with a screw top lid bought from any lil $2 or similar shop. Of you find the liquid gathers at the bottom try laying container on its side for a bit and give it a roll after a bit so each side soaks it up evenly.
Congratulations on this wonderful siye you’ve created. Its absolutely brilliant I love it.
I noticed the bleach solution contains a dangerous ratio of bleach to water. For safe disinfecting, 3 tablespoons (US measure) to one QUART of water is the maximum ratio for safe use. The 1/2 c. bleach to 2 1/2 cups water ratio is not safe for the handler or for anyone coming into contact with the surface after it has dried. Please, for the sake of your viewers, amend your recipe to within safe handling protocols. I see that it has also been shared 24,000 time — great for your site, but not great for anyone who tries that particular recipe. Thanks.
Thank you for sharing this information! We have updated the bleach ratio based on the Clorox dilution ratios.
I have been making wipes for years. I have found that a good, sharp butcher knife cuts easily without tearing the edge up and making so much “dust”.
Thanks for the tip!
Where can I find a container wide enough to fit, with the pull through extra lid?
We re-used an empty Clorox wipes container.
Instead of bleach can I use hydrogen peroxide or lysol ?
I’m sorry I don’t have any experience with using either of those ingredients in cleaning wipes.
Thanks for the recipes, but Viva shreds like crazy.
Really? I’ve found that Viva is the only brand that doesn’t break apart when I do this. You can try your favorite brand of paper towel if you prefer.
I used the Scott brand blue Shop towels, and they hold up really well. I’ve also gone a step further by tearing the sheets off, folding them in halves, and then stacking the halves together, putting half of one towel between half of the next towel. I hope that makes sense, and I hope it helps!
Thanks for the tip. Be well.
Can you mix bleach and vinegar
Despite the combination making for a good disinfectant, when combined, these common cleaning agents are a no-no. The acid in vinegar releases toxic chlorine and chloramine vapors when added to bleach. Beware of this combination causing chemical burns to your eyes and lungs.
Could We have the recipe for Babywipes I have Grandbabies
I’m sure others might need this recipe for Homemade
Baby wipes Thanks
Saraaq1955@gmail.com
Thanks
This was a total fail. I used Bounty towels because supposedly they’re the best. Well not in this case. Towels shred like crazy. Very disappointed.
With the current shortage in cleaning wipes due to the COVID-19 virus, I was ecstatic to find these recipes on Pinterest. Thank you so so much for them, and for telling us what paper towels you use, and why. Other recipes I found just said to use a good quality one. I don’t have the time or spare change to test them all. Thanks again!
Thanks for sharing this amazing idea. This sure will help me in saving a of money.
Hello, I tried the cleaning wipes vinegar, water, dish soap, and essential oil. I used 3 drops of sweet orange essential oil because really strong smells mess with me, but I smell the vinegar more than anything and it smells really strong to me I followed your instructions, is the essential oil supposed to hide the smell of the vinegar? and when does the smell go away because my entire house smells strongly of it, even after it’s been dried?
Hi, I haven’t used essential oils myself because strangely enough the smell of them bothers me but the vinegar or bleach does not. I’m not sure what else you could do though…reducing the amount of vinegar will impact the effectiveness of the solution. I know smell sensitivity varies greatly from person to person this may just be something that doesn’t work for you.