This homemade disinfectant spray ia a natural cleaner that can help protect your family from germs during cold and flu season. It can also be used to clean cutting boards and kitchen counters while cooking. Learn how to make your own lemon disinfecting cleaner for an easy, frugal cleaning solution that can help protect your health.
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I stopped using commercial disinfecting cleaners in my home when I learned that they could contain hazardous chemicals and indoor air pollutants. These substances can cause health problems including asthma, hormone disruption, heart disease, cancer, headaches, eye irritation, congestion, and nausea.
Plus manufacturers of cleaning products in the United States do not have to list all the ingredients on their labels. This means that you have no idea what you are exposing your loved ones to when you reach for most commercial cleaners.
I did a litte research and learned that’s it’s easy to make you own homemade disinfecting cleaner that contains the same active ingredient found in many commercial cleaners but none of the dangerous additives.
Choosing a Natural Disinfectant
This homemade disinfectant spray uses two simple ingredients to naturally kill germs: ethanol and lemon oil.
- Ethyl alcohol (ethanol) is a common disinfectant used in the United States. Ethyl alcohol is a potent virucidal agent and is commonly used as an active ingredient in hand disinfectants for healthcare workers.
- Ethanol is sold as vodka or grain alcohol in the United States. You must read the proof label on the bottle for the correct ethyl alcohol concentration.
- Lemon oils are found in the rind of citrus fruit, a common grocery store staple, and have show strong antimicrobial activity.
- No need to run out and buy lemon oil, the lemon oil in this cleaner naturally comes from the rinds of a lemon when it is steeped in vodka or grain alcohol. Save the lemon fruit or juice for other recipes.
Using Ethanol as a Disenfecting Cleaner
Why choose ethanol for this homemade cleaner? Ethyl alcohol (ethanol) is readily available plus it’s germicidal, bactericidal, tuberculocidal, fungicidal, and virucidal when used at the correct concentration. According to the CDC:
- Salmonella typhosa, E, coli, and Serratia marcescens are killed by 40-100% ethanol
- COVID-19 (coronavirus) is killed by 70% ethyl alcohol solutions.
- Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes are killed by ethyl alcohol concentrations of 60%–95%.
- Lipophilic viruses (e.g., herpes, vaccinia, and influenza virus) are inactivated by ethyl alcohol concentrations of 60%–80%
- Hydrophilic viruses (e.g., adenovirus, enterovirus, rhinovirus, and rotaviruses) are inactivated by ethyl alcohol concentrations of 60%–80%
Where to Buy Ethanol
Ethanol can be purchased in the United States two ways:
- As pure ethyl alcohol (also called vodka or grain alcohol). This is the only type of alcohol that you can drink without harming yourself.
- As denatured ethyl alcohol. This alcohol that is made unfit for human consumption by adding chemicals to it to make it poisonous.
This recipe used pure ethyl alcohol which is sold at liquor retailors in the United States as unflavored vodka or clear grain alcohol.
- Vodka sold in the United States has a minimum ethanol content of 40% alcohol by volume (labeled as 80 proof).
- Other grain alcohols such as Everclear have a higher ethanol content of 60%, 75.5%, 94.5% and 95% alcohol by volume (labeled as 120, 151, 189, and 190 proof respectively).
*Other types of denatured alcohol are available in the U.S. These include isopropanol (rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol) and methanol (methyl alcohol).
**Do not substitute any other alcohols or denatured alcohol for the ethanol in this recipe. The resulting cleaner will contain additional ingredients that could be dangerous to inhale and may not be safe on food surfaces.
How to Make Lemon Infused Disinfectant Spray Cleaner
Ingredients
- Unflavored vodka or grain alcohol (use a cheap variety for everyday cleaning, choose a higher proof for killing viruses such as coronavirus)
- 4-6 Fresh Lemons
Directions
1.Wash and peel the lemons, place rinds in a glass jar. Cover the rinds with vodka and allow to steep in a cool dark place for 1-6 weeks. (This is called infusion.)
2.The cleaner is ready when it becomes a yellow color. For more concentrated lemon oil and a darker color, allow to steep for a longer time. Remove the lemon rinds and any solids by pouring the liquid though a sieve or cheesecloth. (This is called filtration).
3. Pour the cleaner into a spray bottle. Do not dilute! Download the PDF label from my free printable library and attach. (I print mine on full size labels for easy application.)
How to Use Homemade Disinfectant Spray
- After removing all visible dirt and soils with a damp cloth, spray the lemon cleaner directly onto solid surfaces you want to disinfect including countertops, cutting boards, toilet seats, floors, and more!
- Allow the disinfectant at least 10 seconds of dwell time to kill germs. (Dwell time is the amount of time a cleaner must stay wet on a surface to be effective. According to the CDC, ethanol can kill Serratia marcescens, E, coliand Salmonella typhosa in 10 seconds.)
- Wipe the surface dry with a clean cloth (if desired). There is no need to rinse.
Homemade Disinfectant Spray FAQ
- Should I dilute the cleaner with water? It depends on desired alcohol content in the cleaner and what you used to make your infusion.. If you want to kill respiratory viruses you need a minimum 70% ethyl alcohol solutions. A dilution of 1 cup lemon cleaner made with 190 proof alcohol: 1 cup water will create a 95 proof cleaner which is 47.5% alcohol, not high enough to kill some viruses. It’s much simpler to start with a bottle of ethyl alcohol that is the same concentration you desire in your cleaner and not dilute.
- Why do I need to clean before disinfecting? Cleaning removes germs from surfaces but does not necessarily kill them. Disinfecting kills germs but does not necessarily remove them from surfaces. The CDC recommends both steps (with separate cloths) to best protect your family.
- Can I use vinegar in place of alcohol? The CDC does not list vinegar as an approved disinfectant to prevent respiratory viruses. You can make my easy infused vinegar for other household cleaners, just not this disinfectant.
- Can I use rubbing alcohol in place of ethanol? All rubbing alcohol sold in the United States is denatured (not fit for human consumption) therefore I do not recommend using it to clean food surfaces.
- Can I use plain ethanol to disinfect? Absolutely! You can grab a bottle of 151 proof (75.5% alcohol) or higher and get to cleaning. The lemon adds some scent and a little boost from the lemon oils but the plain alcohol works fine too!
- Can I add essential oils to the cleaner? Essential oils have been shown to have disinfectant (antifungal, antibacterial) properties. But EOS can cause adverse reactions in children, adults, and pets including allergic reactions, skin irritation or rash, and neurological impartment. Health experts recommend limiting the use of many EOS on food contact surfaces and in homes with sensitive individuals (young children, pregnant women, people with respiratory issues, and certain pets).
- Why do I need to let this cleaner sit? All disinfecting cleaners, both homemade and commercial, require a certain amount of time to kill germs and bacteria. This time is called dwell time. It’s a huge problem with commercial cleaners because most people do not read the label and do not let the cleaner sit for the time indicated. Be safe, let it sit (and read your cleaner labels!).
Always Use Your Best Judgement
There is, of course, an exception to every cleaning rule. If you live in a home with an immune compromised individual, you may be advised to use different cleaning products. Be safe and listen to your doctor’s advice.
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Kenlynn
How long will the vodka solution store? With water and without water added (I’m assuming the bacteria in the water added will be killed by the vodka, correct?
Bren
Kenlynn, I’ve kept the spray stored for several months with no problems. The vodka will kill some bacteria but if you have highly contaminated water I would use distilled water.
Rina Willig
Does it smell good?
Bren
It has a light lemon odor.
Noel Perry
Hi! I read that this has to be wiped off- so is this not safe to use on fabric? Could I use this to spray on my son’s book bag when he gets home from school?
Bren
I would not use it on a bookbag. I would use this spray on a bookbag.
Kate Hartland
Hi Bren! I have been a buge fan of your Healthy Oatmeal Muffins for a while now but just started exploring your site! Love the green cleaning and natural body tabs. Do you know – would I be able to throw the lemon rinds in the compost once I’m done infusing?
Thank you!
Bren
Yes, I put them down the disposal (just one or 2 at a time) after infusing.
Samantha Pedraza
I was under the impression that the alcohol has to be 60% or higher?
Strangely enough, this is exactly how I make my lemon extract for baking.
Beth
Hi Bren, can I use it as hand sanitizer? Thank you.
Bren
I have never used it as a hand sanitizer so I am not sure how tough it would be on your skin long term.
CC
Hi Bren. What makes pure ethyl alcohol, unlike rubbing alcohol, safe to be used on wood and wood finishes? Is it as safe to be repeatedly used as the all purpose all surface cleaner (detergent + water) on wood surfaces?
I enjoy reading your blog. Thank you for this great relevant article. I shared it with many family members and friends. It’s good to know that how and in what ways our cleaning efforts answer our needs, especially in a time of a mysterious infectious disease. I hope that you and your family are staying safe.
Bren
CC, neither ethyl alcohol or rubbing alcohol are good for wood finishes in the long term and should be used sparingly on finished wood. Hopefully, most household surfaces that need regular disinfecting (door handles, toilet seats, sinks) are not made of wood. Ethyl alcohol is safer for food preparation surfaces (i.e. unfinished wooden cutting boards) because it is not poisonous to humans. Spraying poisonous rubbing alcohol on a wooden cutting board would allow it to be absorbed into the wood and could make you sick when you use it to prepare food. Hope this clarifies the use issue for you. -Bren
Rain
Hello!!! I love this post, but I have a question: is this sanitizer harmful to animals like chickens? Because I have been looking for a way to disinfect the chicken coop with homemade natural products and this seems perfect…. so I ask if it can be used to disinfect the chicken coops (without harming the chickens).
Thank you
Bren
I’m sorry, I do not know how it would work with chickens. I would check with your vet to be safe.
Lili
So if I have 95% ethanol and want to use it in a 24oz spray bottle with a final concentration that is at least 75% ethanol. How many oz of ethanol to water?
Bren
Lili, you need approx 19 ounces of 95% ethanol and 5 ounces of water to get a 24 oz spray bottle of 75% ethanol. You can use this dilution calculator to find out more: https://www.calkoo.com/en/solution-dilution-calculator
Sarah
Hi Bren, was just wondering if there are any alternatives for the vodka. Can i use vinegar instead?
Bren
You can use rubbing alcohol (do not use on wood or food surface), grain alcohol such as Everclear or vodka if you want a disinfectant cleaner. Follow these directions to use vinegar.