6 Ways of Making Disinfectant Spray at Home

Learning how to make a disinfectant spray is an essential DIY project today as the severity of COVID-19 continues to soar. While using soap and water to clean reduces germs and bacteria multiplying on a surface, a disinfectant spray kills the viruses and bacteria. Here are the 6 ways of making disinfectant spray at home.

So, next time you visit a grocery and find all the disinfectant sprays wiped out from the counter, do not worry. A safe, cost-effective, and eco-friendly alternative might be right at your home.

Read on as we go through six ways to make a disinfectant spray at home at almost half the cost of a commercial disinfectant spray.

How To Make Disinfectant Spray From Home

Making a disinfectant spray at home offers flexibility, such as choosing the type of products you find comfortable. Simple ingredients such as vodka, isopropyl alcohol, bleach, and other products make an effective all-natural disinfectant spray.

Below we discuss the top six ways you can make a disinfectant spray.

1. Vinegar Disinfectant Spray

Although not as effective as homemade bleach disinfectant, vinegar is an ideal alternative for making a natural homemade disinfectant spray.

Ingredients

• Vinegar
• Distilled water
• Essential oils (optional)

Directions

• Mix vinegar with water in equal measures
• Let the solution dwell for up to 30 minutes before use

You can now use the vinegar disinfectant spray on your cupboards, glass windows, stovetops, walls, coffee makers, and stovetops. Spray and let it lie for 30 seconds or more before wiping.

2.    Bleach Disinfectant Spray

Image Credit: Home In The Finger Lakes

Bleach solutions are highly effective ingredients for making disinfectant cleaners. However, it requires careful handling and using the right proportions to avoid associated risks due to its stronger concentration.

Ingredients

• Four tablespoons household bleach (sodium hypochlorite)
• A quart of water (room temperature)
• Funnel
• 16-ounce spray bottle

Directions

• Using a funnel, pour the bleach into the spray bottle and add water.
• Once mixed, tighten the lid and flip the bottle several times to mix evenly.

You can now clean the surfaces and let them dry before spraying with bleach disinfectant. Then, spray directly on the surface and let the solution lie there for up to five minutes or more for proper disinfection.

3. Alcohol Disinfectant Spray

Disinfectant sprays with alcohol content make some of the best products for managing germs and other bacteria.

Here’s how you can make an alcohol disinfectant spray.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces of alcohol
• Three and a half ounces distilled water
• ½ teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide
• 16-ounce spray bottle
• 30 drops of essential oil (optional-for scents)

Directions

• Mix hydrogen peroxide with water in the 16-ounce spray bottle
• Add in the alcohol and essential oil and shake well

Your alcohol disinfectant spray is now ready for use by spraying on affected surfaces.

4. Citrus All-Purpose Disinfectant Spray

Ingredients

• One-quart citrus peel
• 2 cups of Water
• Spray bottle
• White distilled vinegar
• Castile liquid soap
• Essential oil (optional)

Directions

• Mix citrus peels with vinegar in a tightly sealed jar and put in a sunny spot (let it lie for about two weeks)
• Discard citrus peels and add two cups of water, one teaspoon of castile soap, and 20 drops of essential oil into your spray bottle and shake well.

You can now spray on all surfaces, leave for 30 or more seconds and wipe clean.

5. Hydrogen Peroxide Disinfectant Spray

Hydrogen peroxide has antiviral and antibacterial qualities, which are more effective than vinegar and isopropyl alcohol.

Ingredients

• 16 oz of hydrogen peroxide (3 percent or higher)
• One teaspoonful of essential oil (optional)

Directions

• Mix the ingredients (hydrogen peroxide and essential oil) in a 16-ounce spray bottle and shake well until evenly mixed.

You can start using it immediately by spraying on surfaces such as doorknobs, toilet seats, and more. You may also use a clean sponge.

Leave it on the surface for about five minutes or more before wiping it with a clean piece of cloth.

6. Vodka Disinfectant Spray

Before using a vodka spray, test first on an inconspicuous surface. It may not disinfect porous surfaces such as wood.

Ingredients

• 16-ounce spray bottle
• Half cup of vodka
• Ten drops of lemon
• One and a half cups of water
• Ten drops of lavender essential oil

Directions

• Mix all the ingredients in a 16-ounce spray bottle and shake well.

Spray the surfaces you intend to disinfect and let the solution sit for about 10 minutes before wiping with a clean microfiber rag.

Unsafe Products to Avoid Using With a Bleach Disinfectant Spray

• Lemon Juice: Mixing bleach and other acidic products such as lemon juice will create a toxic chlorine gas which may be unsafe when ingested.
• Vinegar: The combination of bleach and vinegar produces a poisonous gas that irritates the respiratory system.
• Ammonia: Ammonia-based cleaners, when combined with bleach products like powdered dishwasher detergents, produce hazardous fumes to humans.
• Rubbing Alcohol: Mixing bleach products with rubbing alcohol creates chloroform, a deadly substance that can be fatal when inhaled in excess.

Conclusion

Now you know how to make a disinfectant spray at home using a handful of natural ingredients such as alcohol solutions, hot water, bleach solutions, white vinegar, essential oils, and more with natural disinfecting properties.

However, you’ll take precautionary measures like putting on gloves and a face mask when handling harsh products like sodium hypochlorite and other products with harsh acidic content.

People Also Ask

More people continue to embrace homemade disinfectant cleaners as a safe and cost-effective way of keeping homes safe. However, more questions still surround the topic of the manufacture and usage of homemade disinfectant sprays. Below we address some common questions.

Which Surfaces Should I Avoid Using Bleach Disinfectants?

Bleach is an acidic substance that will easily etch some surfaces. So, when using bleach in DIY bleach disinfectant, you should dilute it to lower its strength. Also, avoid using the spray on stainless steel as it may eat away the finish.

Other surfaces to avoid also include wood which can be porous hence rendering your bleach disinfectant ineffective. Bleach products will also damage a granite surface.

When Should I Apply a DIY Disinfectant Spray?

Cleaning works in reducing germs. However, in extreme cases, you might need to apply a disinfectant spray.

Some cases that may need application of your homemade disinfectant spray include:

• When a family member suffers from an infectious illness
• Scheduled routine kitchen disinfection (cupboards, sinks, fridge, and garbage disposals)
• Door handles from time to time
• When a pet suffers mishap plus other occasions as you may deem appropriate

Is Homemade Bleach Disinfectant Spray Better Than Commercial?

Any DIY project gives you an opportunity to choose what’s safe and convenient for you. While a commercial bleach disinfectant will perform just fine in killing germs in your home, it’s costly and contains chemical components that may be unsafe for humans.

On the other hand, homemade chlorine bleach is inexpensive, easily accessible, and very safe, hence why you should consider making your bleach disinfectant spray.