Hello, I use a product called Clorox Anywhere to help sanitize the larger toys and play equipment in my daycare. My bottle is almost empty and I'm thinking that surely I can make a similar product with regular bleach for a whole lot less cost. I'm looking for a recipe that will sanitize, but not leave little bleached spots on my carpet.
Thanks,
M.
I have read great things about vinegar. It's an AMAZING cleaner - seriously, it cleans practically anything. It's not toxic, and though it's stinky, the smell goes away quickly. And it is rediculously inexpensive. Could this be an option for you?
If you're bleach water left bleach spots on your carpet surely it was mixed way too strong.....it's only a tablespoon per gallon right? That's what our reg's say is required to sanitize items. I never had a single spot or dribble that went directly on to the carpet that left a stain or bleached it out.
We always just used the bleach water and never had any problems. It's the least expensive way I ever found.
Anything made with bleach is going to have the potential to leach color out of fibers.
9% acidity vinegar is a great alternative...also rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide (can also bleach). There are a few natural oils (Tea Tree, Neem, and Orange) that also have sanitizing properties.
HOWEVER, if you're running any sort of licensed daycare, there are usually minimum requirement for sanitizing content.
homemade cleaner made from vinegar and orange peels make a great cleaner. Vinegar is not toxic and it kills mold, as well as germs and bacteria and the orange give the cleaner a nice scent.
http://www.green-talk.com/2012/03/28/orange-peel-vinegar-...
white vinegar has sanitizing qualities and there's research to indicate that all the antibacterial crazinesss we are on doesn't help and may in fact hinder our kids' health. They don't get to develope antibodies to all the stuff they need to!
You can certainly creat a diluted bleach solution as posted here below - but I would only use it on stuff that's been handled by sick kinds who are dripping boogers or puke. For every day use use a vinegar and water solution. You can use it on the floor, on toys, on counters, on cabinets, in the laundry (makes stuff smell really fresh - even if you forget the laundry over night). I buy white vineger from Costco 4 - 1.5 gallons jugs at a time.
When we sanitize dishes in the restaurant and at the church we make a solution of 50-100 parts per million of bleach and water. I don't know if it would make bleach spots on the carpet or not, but I doubt it.
http://eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm#substitu...
I use Clorox Clean-Up....
If you are licensed your licensing requirements may spell out what to use. Here in WA it is 1 tablespoon of bleach to a quart of water for "cleaning" and 3 tbsp per quart of water for sanitizing. Otherwise use a commercial product according to manufacturers directions.
If you do not stick to the guidelines you will open yourself up to be liable in case a kid catches something in your care.
Good luck.
Yes, as Gamma G. said, 1 tb to a gallon of water is all you need. I learned that when taking classes before I started daycare. Vingar might be good, but may not necessarily sanitize. I say stick to the bleach solution. And make your own! So much cheaper! :)
