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Most households that I have been in have some form of disinfectant spray, the most common I have seen has been Lysol or it’s generic counterpart. It’s great because it kills germs and gets rid of odors, but it’s fine aerosol mist is not so great for people with allergies or asthma. I needed to find a replacement for this because I am a firm believer in not sharing cooties and still need to breathe. It may not be up to the stringent standards of Lysol enthusiasts, but for my purposes and my home it works just fine.
These are some of the places I use this:
Mattresses and pillows when changing sheets
Stinky shoes and gym bag
Trash cans and clothes hampers
Door knobs and light switches (especially if someone had the crud)
My work gloves and ball cap
The minivan, chariot of teenagers
The Subaru, chariot of Goodwill and yard sale finds, plus what I drive everyday
Suitcases pulled from the basement
and probably a dozen more things that I use this on.
Putting this together is really simple, but something I cannot stress enough is label this bottle. You can put disinfectant spray, alcohol, anything that denotes this is not water. One spray and the user will know it isn’t water, but you really don’t want that to happen as they are using a curling iron or any iron for that matter…. live and learn, hopefully not the hard way.
So now that the warning is there, let’s put this together. You will need a spray bottle, a bottle of rubbing alcohol, and an extract or essential oil (this is optional).
I get most of my spray bottles from the Dollar Tree in the beauty aisle. They normally have them in various colors that are still see through and they have the spray nozzle with an adjustable end for off, stream, or spray. For this application, you definitely want the spray setting, not stream. The other great thing about these bottles is that I have not noticed any deterioration with the bottle or the straw part. When working with essential oils most plastics can’t cut storing them long term.
The rubbing alcohol can be picked up in the health section of the Dollar Tree. I normally get mine there unless I am making a number of things that require rubbing alcohol, then I go to Sam’s. Most rubbing alcohol comes in two strengths, 70% or 91%. Both strengths should be used in a well-ventilated area. So before using, turn on a fan, vent, or throw open a window especially if you have kiddos or pets. If you are spraying something like shoes or a gym bag, you can always spray it outside and let them sit in the sun for a bit.
I make two bottles of this with different fragrance profiles. The blend I use for linens and upholstered furniture is 10 drops each of bergamot, lavender, and patchouli essential oil. I also use this on the fingerless gloves I keep at work cause my hands get cold. This blend helps me with relaxation and puts me in a calm, happy place. The other blend that I use is 5 drops of peppermint and 10 drops tangerine. This is the blend I use on sneakers, gym bags, and car upholstery. It’s a bright and happy blend that gives me a bit of energy. Peppermint oil is a bit stronger than all the others, so I use less and still get the desired fragrance. With both blends you may want to be careful of spraying it on anything white. I have not experienced it discoloring anything, but there is always that chance.
