Welcome to Clean Freak Confessions, a celebration for sharing personal cleaning experiences and tips from leading bloggers. Join the conversation and share your thoughts with us!
I’m not a germophobe; not in the least. As a matter of fact, I’m more in the camp that believes that we, as members of civilized society, disinfect ourselves entirely too much and are going to body wash and hand gel our way into an eventual Armageddon-style battle with some all-powerful Super Bug, and none of us will have the resistance to fight it.
But that’s outside the realm of this discussion.
I’m not a germophobe, is my point. Give me germs, lots of germs, and let me fight them off the natural way—with leukocytes, like generations did before me.
I make one exception, though.
I’m obsessed with disinfectant wipes, blowing through three to four jumbo packs a month, conservatively. And while I’m probably more interested in their easy-to-grab availability and their lemony-fresh scent than their plague-fighting qualities, I can’t help but feel like my world is a little more sterile when I use them.
Here are some of the many ways I use disinfectant wipes in my house:
* When my babies were babies, I’d use them to clean their high chair trays
* Now, after doing an initial after-dinner wipedown with a washcloth, I use the wipes to do a final wipedown on the stainless steel island in our kitchen. Not only does it clean off the germs, it shines up the stainless surface like there’s no tomorrow
* I keep a container in my bathroom and use the wipes to wipe up makeup spills on my tile counter. And there are many. I primp a lot.
* I keep a container in my car, and when we’re almost home I pass them around to each kid, instructing them to wipe down whatever greasy or sticky substance they left on their seats
* I use them to wipe down my stainless fridge and ovens; they’re non-greasy and don’t leave a film
* I use them to wipe out the produce drawers inside the fridge from time to time. Freshens things up in there!
* In the laundry room, I use a wipe to clean out the rim just inside the washing machine (for those of you with front loaders, you know what I’m talking about)
* Again, in the laundry, the wipes are wonderful lent collectors! I wipe down outside of the washer and dryer from time to time and try to see how much lent I can collect.
* I LOVE using the wipes to clean my computer equipment: the keyboard, the mouse, around the monitor. Man, that stuff gets filthy.
* Finally, around the house, I use the wipes for general dusting. Dust the desk, dust the side tables, dust the window sills. I know this seems a bit unorthodox, but I have yet to find a surface that doesn’t respond positively to the wipes. They don’t hurt wood—at least the wood in my house—one bit.
I could go on and on about my uses for disinfectant wipes, but I’m too afraid of losing my non-germophobe status.
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I LOVE disinfecting wipes. I have a containter at work for my computer and desk (keyboards are naaaasty) and I always have one in the car. I need to stock up some more for home, you’ve given me some great ideas, Ree!
Thank God for disinfectant wipes! Otherwise, how would a girl rid her desk on tax day of all the curse words! Eee-gads it took an entire packet this year!!!
I also love disinfecting wipes. Didn’t know about the stainless steel thing though, thanks; just got a new stainless steel microwave. DH works at the factory where they package one of the major brands of disinfecting wipes, so we always have plenty on hand, thanks to the ridiculously low prices at the company store. Now I have yet another use for these handy-dandy little inventions. Where were they when I had four toddlers running around my house??
Great ideas, but please change “lent” to “lint” so I can sleep better tonight. Thankyouverymuch. :o)
I think “lent” is how she pronounces “lint.” She does live in Oklahoma, you know.
With three boys (and a husband) in the house, I use them constantly for wiping down the bathroom. The entire bathroom.
I too love these wipes! I’ve one container at work and one at home.
Aren’t they full of gross chemicals?/?
I loveeeeeeeee disinfecting wipes. I mainly use them in the bathroom. Although they are great for just about any clean up. When we are sick I walk through the house and give everything a good wipe down.
Please (really!) don’t take this as critical, I really remember how tough it was just to get the family through the day without stitches or someone starting a fire, but when you can, think about switching to a hand spray bottle of disinfectant and a stack of cheap washcloths. Much cheaper and greener. I bought a large (very cheap)supply of white wash cloths and hand towels at Costco, and keep them under all the sinks with a spray bottle of Lysol antibacterial cleaner. I use vinegar a lot and love the stuff, but studies have shown it isn’t as good an antibacterial as bleach or Lysol antibacterial (http://archives.cnn.com/2000/NATURE/01/31/disinfectants.enn/index.html). Bleach can’t be sprayed everywhere, hence the only commercial cleaner I use. I have a supply of colored washcloths I keep in a drawer in the kitchen for grandchildren faces and hands too.
I love this web page, and it’s wonderful authors and vocal audience. I am an aspiring clean freak, using my MP3 player to listen to audio books while I am sweeping, mopping, organizing or folding all those washcloths. One can achieve a truly zen tranquility while creating a blissful environment.
Love
Grammie