Content

• Method 2 of 2: Making hand cleansing wipes
• What do you need
• Production of wipes for surface disinfection
• Making hand cleansing wipes
• Tips
• Warnings

1 Make a cross cut into the lids of the cylindrical plastic food container. Find a plastic food container that is wide enough to hold a roll of paper kitchen towels. Use a utility knife, scalpel knife, or other sharp-edged device to make a cruciform incision in the lid. From this hole, you will remove the napkins when you are finished making them.

• Be very careful when cutting open the lid. Place the lid on a sturdy surface that will not be damaged if you hit it with a blade (for example, you can work on a workbench or place the lid on a cutting board). Most importantly, take care of your fingers!

2 Cut the paper towel roll into sections that will fit in the container of your choice. Take a thick roll of kitchen paper towels, lay them horizontally, and cut off a portion of the roll with a sharp knife. The width of the cut section should be commensurate with the height of the plastic container.

• Keep in mind that it is very difficult to cut a roll of towels across with a regular kitchen knife. If you have a band saw, use it to make a clean, neat cut.

3 Place the cut portion of the roll in a plastic container. Place the cut part of the roll vertically in the container. Try to see if the container lid closes: you want the width of the cut portion of the roll to allow the cover to close tightly when the roll is inside.

• You want the lid to seal the container tightly, otherwise the antiseptic you add to the container will evaporate and the wipes will dry.

4 Pour 1 cup (240 ml) of sanitizer, which is listed on the EPA Recommended Product List, into the towel container. In order for the wipes to disinfect well the surfaces that you will wipe, you must use a solution that effectively destroys bacteria and other microorganisms. Use products such as 60-90% isopropyl alcohol solution, hydrogen peroxide, or quaternary ammonium compounds (QA) products (such as Alaminol).

• Recently, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) compiled a list of products for home disinfection. Effectively destroying the COVID-19 coronavirus: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2020-03/documents/sars-cov-2-list_03-03-2020.pdf. Unfortunately, most of the products on the list cannot be bought in Russia. Available analogues include hydrogen peroxide (sold in pharmacies), isopropyl alcohol (available in electronics stores and on the Internet), ethyl alcohol (concentration 70% or more), quaternary ammonium compounds, and chlorine-containing products.
• Whichever product you choose, be sure to read the instructions on the package to know how to use the product safely and effectively. For example, some products require gloves to be worn to avoid skin irritation.

SPECIALIST'S ADVICE

Jonathan Tavarez

Building Hygiene Specialist Jonathan Tavares is the founder of Pro Housekeepers, a premium cleaning company headquartered in Tampa, Florida that provides home and office cleaning services across the country. Since 2015, Pro Housekeepers has been using intensive training methods to ensure high standards of cleaning performance. Jonathan has over five years of professional cleaning experience and over two years of experience as Director of Communications for the United Nations Association in Tampa Bay. Received a BA in Management and Marketing from the University of South Florida in 2012.

Jonathan Tavarez
Building hygiene specialist

Experts warn: never mix different disinfectants, as their active ingredients can enter into a chemical reaction, the products will be hazardous to health.

5 Leave the towels in the solution overnight. Place the lid on the container and let sit for 12 hours (or overnight). During this time, the antiseptic solution will saturate the towels throughout the entire thickness of the roll.

• The wipes must be very damp so that they can be used to disinfect surfaces. Make sure that the antiseptic covers the surface to be cleaned generously.

6 Remove the cardboard sleeve from the middle of the towel roll. When the roll of towels is soaked through with the disinfectant solution, the cardboard sleeve in the center of the roll will also absorb some of the solution and become soft. Pick up the edge of the bushing and pull gently. You do not need the removed cardboard tube - just throw it in the trash.

• Then it will be easier for you to pull out the inner end of the roll and thread the edge of the paper towels through the cross-shaped cut on the lid.

7 Pull the inside edge of a sheet of paper towels through the slit on the lid. When you remove the cardboard core from the center of the roll, you will most likely pull the inner end of the roll along with it. Pull on the edge of the sheet, which is in the center of the roll, and gently thread it through the cross cut you made on the lid. Then close the lid tightly so that the edge of the paper towel is sticking out of the cut.

• Now you can easily pull out as many pieces of paper towels as you need to clean the surface. The rest of the roll will be inside a closed container and will not dry out.

8 Use enough pieces of paper roll to keep the treated surface damp for 3-5 minutes. Use hand-made wipes correctly - the surface treated with them should be damp and clean. Wipe the surface with wipes so that it is abundantly moistened with a disinfectant solution. The solution should remain on the surface for 3-5 minutes - during this time, the active substance will destroy viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms. Then the remaining solution can be wiped off with a dry cloth or washed off with clean water.

• Some disinfectant products need to be left on for longer. Carefully read the information on the product packaging. Which you used to find out how long to leave the solution on the surface.

SPECIALIST'S ADVICE

Jonathan Tavarez

Building Hygiene Specialist Jonathan Tavares is the founder of Pro Housekeepers, a premium cleaning company headquartered in Tampa, Florida that provides home and office cleaning services across the country. Since 2015, Pro Housekeepers has been using intensive training methods to ensure high standards of cleaning performance. Jonathan has over five years of professional cleaning experience and over two years of experience as Director of Communications for the United Nations Association in Tampa Bay. Received a BA in Management and Marketing from the University of South Florida in 2012.

Jonathan Tavarez
Building hygiene specialist

Experts warn: Before using the fabricated wipes on a particular surface, check that the disinfectant of your choice is safe for the material from which the surface is made. For example, if you need to clean a countertop made of natural stone such as granite, quartz, soapstone (soapstone), or marble, never use acid-based cleaners such as vinegar.

9 Dispose of tissues in the trash immediately after use. Never reuse wipes, otherwise you will not only get rid of bacteria and viruses, but you may also transfer them to other surfaces. When you clean the surface with a tissue, immediately discard the used tissue in a trash bag. If you're not done cleaning yet, take a clean tissue from the container.

• If you use disposable gloves when cleaning, throw them in the trash when you're done handling the tissues.If you use regular household gloves, disinfect them after cleaning.

Method 2 of 2: Making hand cleansing wipes

1. 1 Wash your hands with soap and water, or use a commercially available hand sanitizer (if possible). According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most effective way to clean your hands is to wash them thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If you are unable to wash your hands, use a hand sanitizer that does not contain 60% alcohol. Do not try to make your own hand sanitizer unless you have absolutely no way of purchasing a finished product. It is very difficult to make such a product at home so that it effectively destroys harmful microorganisms, and at the same time is safe for the skin.
   • It is quite difficult to find on sale solutions of alcohol of a sufficiently high concentration (90% and higher). Products with a lower concentration are not suitable - you will need to mix the alcohol solution with other ingredients (for example, with aloe vera gel), and the final product must contain at least 60% alcohol.
   • Keep in mind that regular use of foods high in alcohol will damage your skin over time. This compromises the protective properties of the skin, and as a result, toxic substances and other hazardous chemical compounds can enter the body.
2. 2 Mix 2/3 measuring cup (160 ml) of 99% isopropyl alcohol and 1/3 measuring cup (80 ml) of aloe vera gel. Aside from washing your hands with soap and water, using an antiseptic with at least 60% alcohol is the most effective way to remove bacteria and viruses from your hands. We add natural aloe gel in order to compensate to some extent the aggressive effect of alcohol on the skin. In order for the final product to contain enough alcohol to kill harmful microorganisms, you need to take in two parts 99% isopropyl alcohol one part of aloe vera gel (that is, mix them in a 2: 1 ratio).
   • In Russia, isopropyl alcohol can be bought at electronics stores, but it is quite difficult to find products containing concentrated alcohol on sale. If you can't find it in stores, try searching online stores.
   • You can buy aloe vera gel at a pharmacy or supermarket. If you have an aloe vera plant at home, you can independently extract the gel from its leaves.
   • If you were unable to buy isopropyl alcohol, you can replace it with ethyl alcohol (this is the alcohol found in alcoholic beverages). Keep in mind that an alcohol solution that contains at least 90% ethanol will work for you. And do not even try to use vodka for disinfection - it contains only 40% ethyl alcohol, which is clearly not enough to destroy the virus.
3. 3 Pour the mixture into a clean plastic container. Pour your pre-made antiseptic into an empty dispenser bottle (such as liquid soap) or any other plastic container. Close the container tightly to prevent the contents from evaporating.
   • If you are using an empty bottle, first wash it thoroughly with soap and water before pouring your antiseptic into it.
4. 4 Squeeze some of the product onto a paper towel or napkin. If you need to clean your hands or other surfaces, simply press down on the dispenser or squeeze the bottle to apply some gel to a piece of clean paper towel, napkin, or gauze cloth. You need so much to wet the napkin well.
5. 5 Dry your hands thoroughly and discard the tissue in the trash. Wipe your hands thoroughly: rub your palms, the back of your hands, wrists, and the skin between your fingers. Examine your hands carefully: they should look clean. Do not wipe off excess product or rinse with water - just wait for the skin to dry.
   • If you rinse off the antiseptic with water or wipe it off too quickly, the active ingredient will not have time to work properly and some of the microorganisms will remain on the skin.

What do you need

Production of wipes for surface disinfection

• Cylindrical Plastic Food Container With Lid
• Stationery knife or scalpel knife
• Roll of paper towels
• Sharp kitchen knife or band saw
• Disinfectant with proven potency (isopropyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or HR)

Making hand cleansing wipes

• 99% isopropyl alcohol
• Natural gel aloe vera
• A clear plastic bottle (such as a liquid soap dispenser)
• Paper towels or napkins

Tips

• As the coronavirus COVID-19 spreads across the planet, Rospotrebnadzor, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other organizations around the world recommend that people regularly clean and disinfect surfaces that are frequently touched with their hands, including door hands, switches, tables and chairs. Regular disinfectant treatment will help prevent the spread of the virus.
• Remember, the best way to clear your hands of pathogens is to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. This method is indispensable if the skin of your hands looks dirty or clammy. If you cannot wash your hands with soap and water, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer or disinfectant wipes.

Warnings

• Do not try to make your own hand sanitizer if you can wash your hands with soap and water or use a commercially available hand sanitizer. It is very difficult to make a product that can effectively destroy bacteria and viruses without harming the skin of the hands.
• Baby wipes, alcohol-free antibacterial wet wipes, and plant-based essential oil wipes are not effective enough to eradicate the coronavirus. To protect against this virus, use alcohol-based antiseptics or other disinfectants that have been confirmed to be effective by the US EPA.