Get A Grip on Germs with Clorox & A DIY Portable Sanitizing Spray

Coronavirus is real and apparently, here to stay, awhile. Cases are rapidly on the rise and it’s important to be safe during this time; so being a little extra cautious is a good idea. We could hope that with social distancing and some commonsense habits we could prevent its spread.  Folks are not going out as much, which is a good thing. So that must mean we don’t need hand sanitizers as much – right? I guess you could look at it that way but whether you stay in or go out for even an occasional walk you should be sanitizing surfaces all year around, especially during flu season. Sanitizing surfaces helps prevent the spread of germs and prevents viruses from multiplying, thus, lowering the risk of spreading infection. Even if you’re staying indoors, you may have one person going out to buy groceries or a grocery/take out delivery person who may be a carrier. Your family or half the family may go for a walk which is acceptable provided you’re keeping the social distancing rules of non-crowded places and 6 feet in between. However, every time you come back home you may be carrying some bacteria, germs in; so yep, whether you stay in or go out hands need to be washed well and surfaces sanitized. In case you’ve noticed, sanitizing wipes and disinfectant sprays are fast disappearing from store shelves, so in this post I am mostly going to talk about a simple effective sanitizing solution approved by CDC that you can make yourself using 2 common household staples namely bleach and water.

The difference between cleaning and sanitizing

Cleaning : Removes dirt, some germs from surfaces by physically using soap/detergent and water

Disinfecting/ Sanitizing: Should be done after cleaning. Kills germs on surfaces thus lowering the risk of germs from multiplying.

What to sanitize : Your dishwasher has a  built-in sanitizer that kicks in after the wash cycle utilizing hot water at the right temperature so if you’re using the dishwasher it will be sanitized. If you’re handwashing dishes they could use a “sanitize round”. Ideally you would need to have a 3-compartment sink so you can wash, rinse and sanitize or a 2-compartment sink so you can wash and rinse. Then you can create a big bin filled with hot water or bleach and water that could act as a sanitizing sink/compartment. A lot of our home sinks are usually 1 compartment so just wash, rinse and then fill your sink or another container with hot water (at least 171 degrees F) or a mix of bleach and water in the right quantities and dip those dishes in.  This would not be acceptable in a hotel or restaurant but for home purposes we can improvise.

Doorknobs, doorbells, faucets, fridge handles, stove knobs, light switch plates, and high traffic spots for hands in the powder room such as bathroom knobs and toilet flush handles are all spots that need to be sanitized regularly.  Counter tops, sinks, bathtubs, vinyl floors, shower heads could use a round of sanitization too.

Sanitizing Solutions

Hot Water : Did you know hot water is an approved sanitizing solution, but time and temperature are of essence here.  Water must be at a minimum of 171 degrees which of course is well above what the human skin can tolerate. Dishes/ items to be sanitized must be immersed in the hot water for at least a minute.  You could use this method for stuffed toys that won’t melt in hot water and toys that your infants/ toddlers put into their mouth or play with. You could also use this for large BBQ tools that are too big to fit into your dishwasher or the plastic dustbins that grace your bathrooms etc. I usually fill my large Vitamix blender and other large cooking dishes with hot water from the faucet after I rinse, and I let the hot water stay in the container for  a few minutes and this sanitizes them. Baking trays, racks, fridge shelves etc. are other large items that won’t fit into your dishwasher and can be sanitized with hot water.

Or you could fill a large basin with water at room temperature   and add some bleach in the quantities mentioned below which sanitizes more effectively than hot water, if you ask me.

Bleach and Water : According to CDC standards it states, 5 tbsp (1/3 cup) bleach per gallon of water. This could work well for large quantities and big tubs you may want to fill with a sanitizing solution. If you’re cleaning house, you can use 4 tsp bleach per Quart water or 4 cups water. A spray bottle is usually 32 ounces which is 4 cups so 4 tsps. bleach in one spray bottle should be a good measure. Making it in small quantities is advisable because bleach degrades with light and time so make the solution at a time of day that is convenient for you and when it’s close to the 24 hour expiry time, you can just sanitize all the surfaces as the last wipe and then discard. I try to do all surfaces twice a day and more often on the heavy-duty areas. I know it sounds a little obsessive and I feel a little like Jack Nicholson in, “ As Good as It Gets,” but, in these times I think obsessive without being too paranoid is perfectly accepted.  I make one small spray bottle or half a bottle per day around 12 noon. Before we sleep, I go a little “sanitize-crazy” and I liberally do a spray round of all knobs, surfaces and bathrooms. Home smells a little cloroxy but we sleep and by the time we get up the smell has evaporated. It is cheap, so making it fresh and often is feasible. Ideally for surfaces like counter tops, dinning tables etc. it would be good to clean them first with a cleaning solution or just soap and water and then use the sanitizing spray. 

Some DO’s and DON’T’s

DO NOT add extra bleach than the recommended amount. It will not render it more effective. The exception to this rule is for special conditions like killing spores, fungal infections, deep cleaning etc. and for those cases you should follow CDC guidelines.

DO USE water at room temperature for the solution to be effective

DO NOT use essential oils, perfumes etc. as this may render it less effective

DO USE bleach solutions at a concentration of 8. 25% and unscented bleach is preferred

DO store bleach in an opaque container and make it fresh every 24 hours.  Bleach rapidly degrades in the presence of light and when mixed with water.

DO let it air dry or stay on the surface for at least 10 minutes  before wiping dry

DO NOT use bleach directly on any surface. It will not work. Bleach is sodium hypochlorite which naturally breaks down in water, a big part of why it is environmentally friendly

DO NOT use a bleach solution for electronics. For those you use ethyl alcohol and these guidelines

You can also make a small portable hand sanitizer spray that you could carry wherever you go or use around the home. Small bottles are easier to finish, and you can fresh batches frequently.

Be sure to watch my short video to make this spray.

Thanks for stopping by and be safe everybody! Love

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