Alternatives
There are some alternatives to alcohol wipes. Many people insist on using white vinegar for a variety of cleaning and disinfecting purposes. For example, a very “green” alternative to alcohol wipes and glass cleaners is wiping down surfaces sprayed with white vinegar using newspapers. Vinegar is a great alternative to alcohol wipes for use in cleaning kitchen surfaces as well. Simply wipe down the counter with a paper towel or newspaper moistened in vinegar in the same manner as you would with traditional alcohol wipes. If the smell bothers you more so than with traditional alcohol wipes, simply wipe with a water moistened towel. Vinegar is also great for tiles. Mixed about 1/3 cup with one gallon of water, vinegar can be used for mopping or washing tiles. You can increase the amount of vinegar in this mixture to mop other types of floors as well. Many common household name cleaning products are also switching to products made with natural ingredients, many of which are labeled as “green”. By using some of these alternatives, you are not only using a safer product, you are also helping the planet.
In the medical field an alternative to the standard alcohol wipe is the betadine wipe. While some practices insist on using alcohol wipes, some patients request the use of betadine wipes. Betadine is frequently used for aseptic procedures and prior to surgeries. It is also sold as an antimicrobial hand scrub. This can be used not only as an alternative to alcohol wipes, but also to alcohol based hand sanitizers, which as mentioned before, can strip skin of their natural moisture, leaving hands dry and cracked with overuse. Betadine washes could be especially useful to those in the medical profession, since they sanitize their hands dozens, if not hundreds of times per day.
Another hospital alternative is chlorhexidine. Chlorhexidine is often used for surgical cleansing and in place of alcohol or iodine before inserting IVs. It is antiseptic and antimicrobial cleanser that is sometimes known by other names, such as Hibiclens. This product is very effective and also very skin friendly, though caution should be used near the eyes and with small children. It is so effective that it is also used in many household products in the place of alcohol, such as in mouth rinses and some toothpaste in order to fight off cavity causing bacteria.
There are various other alternatives to alcohol, for all different purposes, many of which you may have in your home. Internet search engines are a great way to find lots of other alternatives to traditional harsh cleansers, such as alcohol wipes.
