Triangle on the Cheap

Live well in the Triangle on a budget. Find fun, free things to do in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, NC

Winner announced for Attainable Sustainable book (plus learn how to make homemade disinfectant wipes)

POSTED BY
Jody Mace


Update: Our winner, Carrie, has been emailed. Congratulations!

Attainable Sustainable, a popular, incredibly useful website by Kris Bordessa, has been sharing small, easy ways to live a more self-reliant lifestyle for years. Anything you want to know how to do, from making homemade cornbread to growing vegetables from seed to making your own dryer sheets–you can find it there.

And, yes, you can even learn about three civilized alternatives to toilet paper if you find yourself in that situation.

And there’s a book! Attainable Sustainable: The Lost Art of Self-Reliant Living comes out this month. You can pre-order it now, and if you do so before March 24th you get a bonus: a dozen digital resources and discounts.

One Triangle on the Cheap reader will win a copy of the book. To enter to win, scroll down and leave a comment. We’ll contact you by e-email if you’re the winner.

But first, we asked Kris if she’d share one timely project with us now: homemade disinfectant wipes. If you’re finding the shelves bare when you look for disinfectant wipes, you’ll be glad to know that it’s easy (and inexpensive) to make homemade alcohol wipes. (You might never go back to the store-bought ones.)

We’re handing the virtual pen over to Kris now…and, remember, scroll down to enter the contest to win a copy of the book!

How to Make Homemade Disinfectant Wipes

homemade disinfectant wipes

As caretakers for our loved ones we want to do as much as possible to keep them healthy. One key seems to be cleanliness.

We’ve all heard the suggestions to wash our hands with soap and water to the tune of “Happy Birthday” (twice). The soap is key here. If you’ve ever washed a pan after cooking a fried meal, you know that soap is what breaks up the fat. Using soap when you wash your hands breaks up the exterior barrier of the virus that may be lurking on your skin.

But what if there’s no sink nearby? While I normally use gentler cleaning products, in the face of this virus I’m stepping up my game and using alcohol wipes to make sure that our environment is as germ-free as possible during this uncertain time.

Wipes are no replacement for good old soap and water, but using alcohol-based hand wipes while you’re out can help keep germs at bay. With alcohol wipes sold out in many stores, it’s a good reminder that some things are easy to DIY — and less expensive, too.

Use these homemade wipes to clean your hands or use them as a barrier between you and items like germy gas pumps or shopping carts.

Materials

  • Old t-shirts or an old flannel sheet
  • 2/3 Cup isopropyl alcohol (99% but 91% will be effective as well)
  • 1/3 Cup water
  • Essential oil (optional)
  • Air tight container
  • Coffee can with lid

Tools

  • Scissors
  • Measuring cup

Instructions

  1. Cut fabric into 6” to 10” squares. This does not have to be perfect. If you’re using old t-shirts, work with what you have. Sleeves can be cut into smaller cloths.
  2. Combine alcohol and water into measuring cup. Add several drops of essential oil, if you like. The essential oil is optional, but can make your DIY alcohol wipes smell better. (Lavender is calming!)
  3. Fold cloths to fit in the air tight container. Pour liquid over the wipes until they’re saturated but not sopping.
  4. Cut a small hole in the lid of the coffee can and press in place on the can.
  5. Use cloth wipes to clean your hands frequently if you are out in public. Put used wipes into the coffee can through the hole. Launder used wipes in very hot water before reusing them.

Notes

Do not use these wipes on your baby’s bum! Baby wipes are gentle enough for tender skin, but not suited to killing viruses.

To make an alcohol spray instead of wipes, simply combine water and alcohol in a spray bottle. Use it to clean frequently touched items like doorknobs, light switches, and countertops.

Enter to win a copy of the book

To enter to win a copy of Attainable Sustainable: The Lost Art of Self-Reliant Living, just leave a comment to this post. We will randomly select a winner on March 20th. Make sure to check your inbox and spam folder.

Subscribe to Triangle on the Cheap

Posted by Jody Mace Filed Under: Uncategorized

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. Mariah Henley says

    This is great…I am working on adding more sustainable practices to me daily life, especially now that the recycling world has been truly revealed!

  14. MJ says

    Would love to have a copy of this book.
    Thank you for makibg this possible and accessible.

  15. Nancy Lesesne says

    During these difficult times we can be looking for things to learn that will carry over into life after the C-virus. Adding more sustainable practices in our daily living is a great goal!

  16. Debbie Newton says

    Thank you for reminding everyone how to take care of themselves and love our planet at the same time.

  20. Janice says

    Thank you for providing your services! I always enjoy reading about things to do in our wonderful area ♥️

  22. Suzette Pennell Brown says

    Showing us how to make the wipes and spray or something I never thought of. I need a book like this to help get through these difficult times and to help going forward. I’d love to win it.

  26. Laura Funk says

    Looks like I would find some great ideas in this book to teach my children on their long break from school. Thanks!

  32. Samantha says

    So many incredible ideas! What a great opportunity to teach our children how to care for ourselves and our world better! We do some at home but there are a lot more ways to get involved and they are not hard practices to start. Our family would love to book in order to help make even a small difference!

  36. Christie says

    This sounds like a great book! Can’t wait until it comes out. I have been trying to make my life more sustainable and this seems like on e of the best tools and resources! Thanks to Triangle on the Cheap for recommending it!

  38. Catherine Smith says

    Good information to have not only for this tumultuous time, but for future viruses and sicknesses. Thank you for writing this!

  39. Debra says

    Well why the recipe is a great idea, I’ve spent days looking for alcohol and can’t find it.😥

    • Gayle says

      This book is so timely. One of the things I’ve worried about is the uptick in single use items – wipes and hand sanitizers in plastic bottles. I’m so glad to have an option for making a reusable wipe.

  42. Libby Wilhelmson says

    I really enjoy making my own cleaning products and feel good about helping our environment. Like teaching my kids how to also.

  43. Amy Simpson says

    The book looks promising, and I’d love to see it. I don’t see it on order at my library, though, and it’s quite pricey at $35.

  47. Michele Young says

    This is great! I do not have any wipes but I do have alcohol and now I’ll be able to make some! Thank you for the recipe

  51. Karen Miller says

    Good book to have! Will definitely be trying the alcohol wipes. Thanks for the tips!

  53. Lynn Ruff says

    Awesome that these “lost arts” are coming around again! It would be great to have this information right at my fingertips!

  54. Margo says

    Fantastic and timely project instructions. Thanks! This book looks wonderful. I’m definitely interested in checking it out. Stay healthy and keep keeping on.

  58. Terese Pastrana says

    Very well done website! Hope to win the book, jic we don’t have electricity one day. Thank you!

  60. DNB says

    Patty’s Cleanser:
    A Natural All-Purpose Cleaner
    • 2 teaspoon liquid dish soap
    • 1 half teaspoon baking soda
    • 2 tablespoons vinegar
    • 2 cups water
    • A drop or two of essence of lavender

    After mixing baking soda and water in the spray bottle, make sure the baking soda has completely dissolved. Then put in the vinegar.

    Clean Naturally! – Smile!

  62. Linda C Blain says

    Awesome! And I have lots of “rags” to use. Now I just need to find the alcohol!!!

  64. Jon says

    That’s awesome. Thanks for the tip. Exactly the kind of info and skills we need right now. Heading over to the website now.
    Be well!!

  65. Deb says

    Thanks for the wipes instructions. I’m glad I already have a good size bottle of alcohol at home. I think this will come in very handy!

  67. Nancy says

    Saving money as well as being able to make your own when the store bought is unavailable.

  68. Elisha says

    What a great resource to have around for times just line these. Self reliance has never been cooler than it is now.

Who We Are

lotc_logo_100_gray_bglogos
Triangle on the Cheap is a member of Living on the Cheap, a network of websites published by frugalistas, journalists and consumer advocates. Find practical advice on saving money on groceries, travel and shopping, plus tips from our experts on how to live the good life for less at Living on the Cheap.