Back-to-school time is fuel for the cold-and-flu season fire. One parent posted a hack for a two-ingredient disinfectant to help keep families healthy during the worst time of the year for the immune system.
The scoop
Nicole Jacques (@itsnicolejacques) shared a nontoxic disinfectant recipe with her Instagram followers. She explains how she uses distilled white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide (3% or more) to combat germs. Jacques notes that the peroxide can also be substituted with vodka, but peroxide is significantly less expensive, so save that vodka for a cocktail to enjoy while disinfecting your house.
Jacques explains that the peroxide and vinegar are not combined. The peroxide goes in a spray bottle while the distilled white vinegar is poured onto a clean cloth. She wipes the surface down with the vinegar cloth first and lets it dry before spraying with the peroxide, which she suggests letting air-dry for at least five minutes.
She notes that this hack clears bacteria, fungus, and viruses from surfaces on everything from door handles to tubs to kids' iPad covers.
In the comments section, she explains that the acid will eat away at wood, granite, or marble, so it's best to use a cleaning alternative for those surfaces. If you're working with a wood surface like a charcuterie board, try sprinkling it with kosher salt and rubbing it down with a lemon to clean it. For tile, try mixing peroxide, baking soda, and dish soap to clean up stubborn grout.
Jacques also recommends storing the hydrogen peroxide in a glass container or in the dark parts of your pantry to prevent it from breaking down over time.
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How it's helping
We all love a satisfying clean — and it's even better when the hack is less expensive and can be thrown together with ingredients you already have in your home. Jacques' tips also reduce the need to purchase plastic bottles of cleaning products and disinfectants, some of which contain toxic compounds that can be harmful if accidentally swallowed or inhaled. Yuck!
What everyone's saying
Other Instagram users were thrilled with how easy it was to use this hack on surfaces in their homes in anticipation of cold and flu season.
"Thank you! I absolutely love your tips and videos! They are amazingly helpful and refreshingly cheerful," one user applauded.
"You are a genius!!!" another user shared.
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