Today I came across the idea for homemade reusable cleaning wipes (with disinfecting power!) and am officially sold. I’m making my own based on this recipe and am so excited to try them out. Sometimes it’s necessary to wipe up a mess quickly and I like the idea of storing these right in my kitchen (since I always seem to make a huge mess no matter what I am doing), soaked in a cleaning solution and ready to go.
Not only will they be reusable and thus eco-friendly, but I am thrilled that I get to use wipes without any mystery chemicals or unnecessary ingredients. They are super convenient and I probably won’t even feel the need to wash my hands right after using them like I would with regular wipes from the store. I can choose what goes into the solution and feel good about what I am using to clean.
To start, I cut up an old Fruit of the Loom T-shirt made with heavy cotton that I think will make for tough, long-lasting wipes. I made a surprising amount of wipes from this medium shirt, but left some of the pieces quite large in case I decide to cut them down a bit later depending on what works best for me after I try them out.
I didn’t have any old wipe containers, but a big glass jar that I think housed Christmas nuts a long time ago, so I added about 3 cups water to it due to the large size. 1/2 cup vinegar, 3 good squirts of Dr. Bronner’s baby-mild liquid castile soap, and about 10 drops tea tree essential oil.
I overestimated the liquid amount needed with the number of cleaning wipes I had, but at least I have room at the top to wring out any extra liquid before leaving the jar. Also, after I wash the cleaning cloths once they are used they can go straight back in the jar to soak up more solution and be used again.
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I love your container for your wipes! Much cuter than a reused disposable wipes box! That makes me want to keep my eyes open for something like that at a thrift store or garage sale that would work for me.
Thanks for linking to my post!
Thanks, Emily! I’m really glad I kept it :) Thanks for sharing the idea in the first place! I’ll definitely be stopping back to your site, it looks like you are offering some great information!
Awesome! I have been meaning to try something like this, but kept forgetting to look it up. I am so excited that I have all the ingredients for your recipe, so I will be making my own soon. Hope my hubby is ready to give up some old t-shirts!
That’s great, Meredith! It’s always nice when you already have everything on hand. I hope you like them! :)
Hello Michelle,
My name is Michelle : ) I’m so excited to find this home made cleaning wipes. I always by Lysol wipes, but I’m trying to learn how to go natural. I like this idea of being able to reuse the cloths. So far has this recipe been good for cleaning? Can’t wait to try it out!
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