M.L. Lewis
Over the last couple of days, mass hysteria has erupted across the notion. It’s not a matter of if it reaches you, it a matter of when. The general public is freaking out and for good reason. We depend on China for a lot of things like rubber, plastic, and latex. Most of our medical supplies like gloves, masks, and medicine all come from there. Now with everyone on edge over this newly discovered virus, many countries are demanding self-quarantining which is leading to many Chinese factories shutting down lines of production due to a lack of people. Because of this and the mass buying of goods parts of the world are seeing a shortage of much-needed panic supplies. OH NO! It’s sold out!
Bleach
Alternative: Lemon Juice and Borax
Borax is one of the best, non-lethal, alternatives to bleach. Borax can be found in boxes in the laundry soap section. It is non-toxic in small doses, but poisonous if you consume large quantities of the stuff. Combine with the acidic properties in lemon juice this is one of the best alternative disinfectant cleaning products on the market. If you can’t find Borax in your store try Castile soap or Oxiclean. These have the same make-up as borax but can be easier to find in some locations.
Disinfectant Spray
Alternative: Vinegar
Vinegar is a type of acetic acid. Meaning, it makes an environment inhospitable to deadly microorganisms. This is why even today we use vinegar as a method of preserving vegetables such as cucumbers. It is even a common ingredient in bathroom cleaners for it’s disinfecting properties. Scientists claim that 5% of vinegar can destroy 80% of viruses on contact. When you feel a spray bottle with this stuff remember it add essential oils. The smell is very foul and pungent, so to dull it now mix in some cinnamon or lavender oil.
Antibiotic Wipes
Alternative: Coconut Oil and Vodka
This is a simple recipe my grandmother taught me. She always had a saying, “make it before you buy it”. In a gallon Ziploc baggie, you want to mix 3 cups of warm water, 2 Tablespoons of coconut oil, and 2 teaspoons of vodka. You want to but this aside at room temperature for 24 hours. While that sits you want to cut a paper towel roll into thirds. Then in a separate baggie separate them into individual sheets. Once the mixture is ready you want to slowly dump it into the baggie with the paper towels, massaging it into them. You don’t want to do this to fast as it can destroy the paper towels. If you don’t have any paper towels cut up old clothing and make it reusable wipes.
Hand Sanitizer
Alternative: Rubbing Alcohol and Aloe Vera
This is a recipe I learned recently on a medical forum that I found to be interesting. It says to mix a 2/3 cup of rubbing alcohol (91%) with a 1/3 cup of aloe vera gel. You can add in some drops of essential oil to improve the smell if you wish. This recipe makes sanitizer that is 65% alcohol which is well in the range of virus-killing. You only need a dime-size amount on the palm for it to work. Remember, to rub both sides of your hands, the fingers, fingernails, and wrists. Remember hand sanitizer is supposed to be used as an alternative to regular hand washing. Once you can wash your hands. Don’t over sanitize your hands because you can kill off the bacteria that is on your side when you use too much, or too often.
Baby Wipes
Alternative: Baby Soap and Hot Water
This is a recipe my friend sent me. She does all-natural parenting and refuses to use over the counter products on her kids for fear of the chemicals. What we do is boil two cups of water. While that is brewing you want to cut a roll of paper towels in half. You’re going to want the thickest, most cloth-like type you can find. After the water’s been boiling for two minutes you’ll want to turn it off and give it five minutes to cool down a little. Then, you want to mix in 2 Tablespoons of baby soap, 2 Tablespoons of baby lotion, and 1 Tablespoon of baby oil. Next, put the paper towels into Ziploc baggies. Finally, you are going to carefully pour the mixture evenly within the two baggies. You’ll also want to remove the cardboard core at this time. Let them soak in the mixture for a couple of hours, or until thoroughly absorbed. When finish transfers them to your empty baby wipes container. This makes wipes good for one week. If you notice the wipes are feeling a little dry add more boiling water to freshen them up.