If you're in the habit of using Lysol to deodorize and/or disinfect, you'll love vodka as an alternative! Since alcohol qualifies as an EPA registered disinfectant if it is 70% (140 proof) drinkable grain alcohol or 70% isopropyl alcohol, vodka makes a great non-toxic, fragrance free, natural disinfectant.
To make your own disinfecting spray that can be safely used on a variety of surfaces around your home, just combine the following ingredients in a large glass spray bottle: 1 cup water, 1 cup white vinegar, 2 tablespoons rubbing alcohol, 20 drops lemon essential oil, 20 drops tea tree essential oil.
Excessive intentional inhalation may cause respiratory tract irritation and central nervous system effects (headache, dizziness). Not a normal route of exposure. May cause stomach distress, nausea or vomiting. Target organs Blood.
Hydrogen peroxide is one of the most powerful natural cleaning and disinfecting agents. Health professionals trust it against harmful bacteria, antigens, and viruses. It's used for a variety of disinfecting jobs, including cleaning cuts, removing earwax, and promoting dental hygiene.
Cleaning your mattress and other non-washable fabrics
Our Lysol® Disinfectant Spray kills 99.9% of the germs that are hanging around on your homes' soft furnishings.
Vinegar and bicarbonate of soda are natural germ killers and, when combined with elbow grease, can help you ditch the bleach for good. Mix one part vinegar with one part warm water and 4 tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda in a spray bottle and shake to mix.
Vinegar has been proven to have some disinfectant properties, however it's not nearly as effective at killing harmful viruses and bacteria as commercial cleaners. And because it does not kill 99.999 percent of bacteria and viruses, it doesn't meet the criteria required to be considered a disinfectant.
The best natural all-purpose cleaner is Aunt Fannie's Cleaning Vinegar, which harnesses the power of vinegar to be tough on grease, grime, and dirt.
To disinfect, use an EPA-registered disinfecting product or a stronger bleach solution. Clean the surface with soap and water first. Always read the label of disinfecting products to make sure the products can be used on the type of surface you are disinfecting (such as a hard or soft surface).
Water and white vinegar do a good job on floors; ditto vinegar and newspaper for cleaning windows; baking soda, vinegar, salt, and boiling water do a volcanic job on drains. Bon Ami brand cleaning powder is a relatively nontoxic commercial mix that works well for scouring, too.
In general, vinegar is used to clean surfaces, whereas peroxide can be used to clean and disinfect. Vinegar is also less hazardous to children and pets. Peroxide is a more powerful cleaner than vinegar and can be used to remove more difficult stains.
The active ingredient in many Lysol products is benzalkonium chloride. Lysol disinfectant spray kills 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, including the common cold virus, norovirus (which causes stomach flu), and coronavirus. This product can be used on hard and soft surfaces.
Like hand soap, dish soap does not kill bacteria, but it lifts them off surfaces to be washed away by water. Dishes should be washed and scrubbed in soapy water, rinsed with water and finally soaked in water containing germ-killing sanitizers before drying them off.
Bleach is great for disinfecting. A registered disinfectant, it will, by definition, kill 99.9 percent of germs that it comes into contact with, within five or ten minutes of contact. In contrast, the germs that vinegar does kill often need half an hour of contact to be affected.
Borax – Borax is one of the heavy-weight champs of all-purpose cleaners. It can clean tile floors and garbage disposals and reduce mildew buildup. Baking soda – As an abrasive material, baking soda can be mixed with other holistic solutions to remove tough stains and stuck-on food particles.
Because of its properties as an oxidizing agent, hydrogen peroxide attacks organic stains, odor-causing molecules and bacteria. Its effectiveness at killing germs is recognized by the CDC and the EPA. It is like bleach but without bleach's fumes or abrasiveness.
Apply to items that can bring germs into your home such as shoes, backpacks, coats and packages. Also use on soft surfaces such as couches, pillows and mattresses.
Not only does alcohol make an excellent bedding and mattress disinfectant spray, but spraying alcohol on sheets also helps to eliminate unpleasant odors caused by sweat, spills, and other sources to leave your bed smelling nice and fresh.
During the interwar period, Lysol Disinfectant was sold throughout Canada and the United States as a contraceptive douche for women. In fact, Lysol became the leading over-the-counter contraceptive sold on the euphemistically termed “feminine hygiene” market.