How to Make a DIY Disinfectant Spray

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It’s time to ditch your beloved Lysol disinfectant spray.

Yes, I said it.

Now let me tell you, I was skeptical to trash my Lysol can and it took me a while to do so. It has been a staple in our home since I was born. My mother would spray it on EVERYTHING. If someone in our home was sick, she would follow us around with her can of Lysol and spray EVERYTHING. And I mean everything. I can’t tell you how much of those ‘clean linen’ or ‘citrus fresh’ particles I inhaled as a child. Oh, the joys of the 90’s.

I think I inherited my slight case of germaphobia from her. Now, I didn’t chase my kids around with a can of Lysol, but I did catch myself constantly spraying doorknobs and wiping down surfaces maybe a little too much. If my child was going to come in contact with something outside of the home, I was going to clean it first. Playground equipment, shopping carts, hotel rooms, airplanes. If you can name it, I sprayed or wiped it.

I thought using store bought name-brand cleaners was just what you did. That is, until I started diving into the world of Organics. Researching what we were putting into or onto our bodies was really eye opening. One thing led to a next and products I trusted to keep our families safe, I found to be often extremely toxic to our health. Here’s a rule of thumb: If it has a commercial, you probably don’t want to buy it.

Untitled design (3).png — The Lysol spray was one of the absolute worst,
and it took a pandemic for me to finally throw mine away.

So Why Did I Ditch My Lysol?

Well it just so happened that as the entire world was rushing to battle viruses with their disinfectant sprays and Lysol wipes, the little island in the Caribbean that I call home was last to receive any sort of cleaning supply shipment. As I was rushing around the house wiping down doorknobs and spraying the bottom of shoes, I ran out of my Lysol spray. And that was it. Poof. Done. No More, anywhere.

What was I to do? I had to protect my family and keep them clean and safe. But with what?! I went to three different stores in the middle of a pandemic looking for cleaning supplies and found nothing. It was the last kick in the butt I needed to ditch the Lysol for good and make my own.

That’s when I remembered that my gym Studio 360 VI made their own disinfectant spray to keep the equipment clean. I was shocked at how simple the disinfectant spray was and knew I had to try it. If Dr. Amanda Holmes approved, I approved. She and I are on the same granola bar page, and I must give her credit for the inspiration behind this blog post. She used Lemongrass Essential Oil, I like Tea Tree.

But Will It Clean?

Why, Yes! Yes, it will! Here’s why…

Tea Tree Essential Oil: Also known as Melaleuca alternifolia, is a powerful oil that has antiseptic, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal and antimicrobial properties that make it an Excellent choice for homemade cleaners. WOW! That’s a whole lot of anti! This Essential Oil is a great choice to use for this DIY Disinfectant Spray. You can find a great study on the benefits here.

Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol: This antiseptic knows how to pack a punch against germs! The CDC recommends using a 70% alcohol solution for disinfection. You can read more on their guidelines here. A solution of 70% alcohol makes this a great choice to use in your DIY Disinfectant Spray as it has antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal properties.

The EWG gives Lysol Disinfectant Cleaning Spray an ‘F’ for it’s toxic ingredients. You can read what its ingredients can do to our bodies here. It’s pretty eye opening and frightening. If that’s not a good enough reason to stop using Lysol disinfectant spray, then I don’t know what is.

What Can I Use This For?

Oh, So many things!

Here’s a List of all the things I use this DIY Lysol Disinfectant Spray on. Now Get Cleaning!

Spray the bottom of your shoes and don’t track germs into your house.
Spray the inside and outside of your re-usable shopping bags when you get home from the store.
Spray your doorknobs, counter tops, light switches, remotes, faucets, sinks, handles, pretty much anything you touch.
Don’t forget your computer keyboard, phones, purses, and car keys when you disinfect the rest of your home.
Gym equipment, yoga mats, weights, etc.
Spray a clean towel and wipe down items you purchased at the store.
Make an on-the-go size and spray down the playground equipment or sanitize your car steering wheel.

***Now, remember: Some items in your home, such as touch screens, computers, phone screens, purses, etc. shouldn’t come in direct contact with a disinfectant spray. Make sure you spray this on a clean towel and then wipe the surface. Use your judgement when using this DIY Lysol Disinfectant Spray.

Here’s The Recipe for a DIY Disinfectant Spray:

It’s a 100 times healthier than the store-bought version and can save you some money along the way. Keep your home Clean AND Green with this DIY Disinfectant Spray!

Step-By-Step Instructions

Ingredients:

16oz (2 cups) of 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol
10 drops Tea Tree Essential Oil (I love Young Living which you can find here)

Tools:

measuring cup with spout, spray bottle

Directions

Step One:

Measure out 2 cups (16oz) of 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol into a measuring cup with a spout. If you don’t have one, you can use a funnel, or just be super careful and pour directly into the bottle. I’m too clumsy for that, so I used a spout.

Step Two:

Pour the 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol into the spray bottle.

Step Three:

Add 10 drops of Tea Tree Essential Oil to the spray bottle. I use Young Living Essential Oils, as they are the best on the market in my opinion. You can find out more information here.

Step Four:

Reinsert the nozzle, shake and VOILA! You just made yourself a glorious germ fighting DIY Disinfectant Spray. NOW GET CLEANING!

Germs Beware! I’m ready and armed with my DIY Disinfectant Spray!

A Little Bit About Young Living Essential Oils

I use Young Living Essential Oils because in my opinion they are the purest on the market. You can find them here. This link will take you to the retail store where you can purchase oils and more under my distributor ID where I will receive a commission. If you don’t want to pay full price you can check out the amazing starter kit and receive 24% off future purchases. Then join our Facebook Group and learn all about the wonderful world of Essential Oils! This group has tons of great resources, videos and recipes on how to use your new oils! I love these oils and the endless benefits they provide for me and my family. I know you will too! If you want to learn more about the world of Essential Oils from Young Living you can click the link here or send me an email at mudpuddlesandmotherhood@gmail.com.