topic Re: Household cleaning products in Community Chat

Household cleaning products

CherryHugs — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 15:32:49 GMT

Household cleaning products like Lysol and Clorox wipes won't be fully back in stock until July or August, supply-chain experts say.

Consumers are still struggling to find common household items like toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant wipes.
Supply-chain experts told Business Insider the supply chains suffered major disruptions but that these products should all return by July or August.
Toilet paper is already starting to come back to store shelves, but the supply chains for cleaning products are more complex because the raw materials are sourced from China, and factories can't just expand their capacity.
The experts urged Americans to buy responsibly when the items return to stores — purchase only what you need, and don't stockpile.

Weeks have passed since Americans first started panic buying and stockpiling key household staples, but store shelves across the country are largely still bare of items like toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and Lysol and Clorox wipes.

Now as some states ease up on stay-at-home orders, and leaders contemplate how to reopen the economy, customers are wondering why stores and online retailers are still out of stock and when they can expect more.

Supply-chain experts told Business Insider that these products would return, fully stocked, to store shelves — but it would likely take until the summertime.

Toilet paper, 90% of which is manufactured domestically, is already reappearing in many stores in small quantities, and most customers can access what they need, according to Patrick Penfield, a supply-chain-management professor at Syracuse University.

But Lysol and Clorox wipes, many Americans' favored cleaning products, pose a bigger challenge and will take until July or August to come back in stock, he said.

Re: Household cleaning products

Kachina624 — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 15:44:32 GMT

The best thing that can be done to destroy the coronavirus is get a steam cleaner. The virus is not a living organism so can't be killed but it's very fragile and can be destroyed.

It's covered with a lipid layer (fat) so by using heat, the lipid layer is melted and the virus is destroyed. You really don't need wipes or disinfectants.

Re: Household cleaning products

CelticCrafter — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 15:52:29 GMT

After all these weeks I don't understand what people are cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting.

Yes, I know that there are still some people that need to go out to work every day but there isn't a lot of stores open and how are the germs getting in the house if nothing is coming in and no one is having visitors.

Re: Household cleaning products

kaydee50 — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 15:59:26 GMT

And I seem to remember being told not so long ago that overuse of "sanitizers" are not good because it will only lead to stronger germs. We do not use any wipes or disinfectants. Just wash our hands as instructed. Some of the things people say they do on these forums amaze me.

Re: Household cleaning products

hckynut — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 16:16:04 GMT

@CelticCrafter wrote:
After all these weeks I don't understand what people are cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting.

Yes, I know that there are still some people that need to go out to work every day but there isn't a lot of stores open and how are the germs getting in the house if nothing is coming in and no one is having visitors.

@CelticCrafter

A lot of people are ordering more online and many have food and other essentials delivered. I know we have more Amazon orders than in the past and I do the best I can to keep our home as safe as possible. Same when my wife comes home from our grocery trips.

We used to go together, but even Target here has a sign that says "only 1 person per cart".

I never thought of the steam cleaner so a "thank you" to @CherryHugs the author of this thread and @Kachina624 for her tip.

hckynut 🏒

Re: Household cleaning products

sunshinestory — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 16:17:04 GMT

Thank you for the information. I was wondering why it was still so hard to find the disinfecting wipes!

Inside the house I use soap and water, but the wipes make it easy to wipe down groceries or any items coming into the house. Also having the wipes in the car when you have to go to work is also convenient. I have resorted to making my own wipes.

Re: Household cleaning products

goldensrbest — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 16:30:51 GMT

The steam from a steam cleaner would have to be very hot, i have not read that this works on this virus.

Re: Household cleaning products

tsavorite — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 16:36:00 GMT

I haven't seen cleaning supplies for at least 6wks or more around my neck of the woods. I wanted to pick up a gel/bleach shower/tile/tub cleaner and no such luck. Nothing is available around here. TP is still hit or miss too.

Re: Household cleaning products

tsavorite — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 16:38:44 GMT

@goldensrbest wrote:
The steam from a steam cleaner would have to be very hot, i have not read that this works on this virus.

They did do studies on out door heat/light/humidity and said it does kill the virus on surfaces so I don't think it would be much of a stretch to use a steamer which is super hot to kill this virus or any other one if used on the surface of a counter top for a few minutes.

I have a hand held one that will burn you so badly if your not careful LOL....I will use that if need be.

Re: Household cleaning products

millieshops — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 16:54:24 GMT

I'm not even surprised - at least in my area, those products have been unavailble for weeks and weeks even though some stores do get some supplies of them. Just not enough.

On the good side (I think anyway) - those products can eventually be brought back up to the amounts we need.

Right now when I go to the supermarket, I can buy produce, meat, and meds. Is there a crystal ball telling us whether those will be plentiful going forward?

Re: Household cleaning products

mspatmac — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 17:11:11 GMT

@goldensrbest wrote:
The steam from a steam cleaner would have to be very hot, i have not read that this works on this virus.

@goldensrbest I read a few articles on this and I suggest anyone that is planning on using this method to do some research. There is a wealth of information out there that allows us to make an informed decision.

Re: Household cleaning products

CelticCrafter — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 17:16:11 GMT

@millieshops wrote:
I'm not even surprised - at least in my area, those products have been unavailble for weeks and weeks even though some stores do get some supplies of them. Just not enough.

On the good side (I think anyway) - those products can eventually be brought back up to the amounts we need.

Right now when I go to the supermarket, I can buy produce, meat, and meds. Is there a crystal ball telling us whether those will be plentiful going forward?

Beef, pork and chicken is all hit or miss around here.

My niece takes something for COPD and all her insurance company will pay for is the generic version. Well, the pharmacy hasn't had the generic version since this started and don't know when they will be getting it so she has to pay for the name brand. I told her to appeal it to the insurance company because under the circumstances what is she supposed to do.....

Re: Household cleaning products

Still Raining — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 17:19:36 GMT

Don't understand the preoccupation with wipes. Why not just accept that your car, shoes, credit cards, purse, jacket, and anything purchased is infected. Keep them out of the house either permanently or temporarily.

Re: Household cleaning products

shoesnbags — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 17:29:43 GMT

@Still Raining wrote:
Don't understand the preoccupation with wipes. Why not just accept that your car, shoes, credit cards, purse, jacket, and anything purchased is infected. Keep them out of the house either permanently or temporarily.

@Still Raining

Grocery items that need to go into the refrigerator or freezer need to be wiped down first. (Yes, I’m aware there is now conflicting advice on this. ) I find that wipes are the most convenient thing to use for this purpose.

Re: Household cleaning products

suzyQ3 — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 18:08:35 GMT

I just received my order of a Lysol spray cleaner today from Walmart (it was part of an order). The limit was 1.

Re: Household cleaning products

RainCityWoman — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 18:16:17 GMT

I hit the jackpot yesterday. For weeks and weeks I haven't been able to find alcohol, hand sanitizer, aloe vera, or hand wipes. Yesterday I went to the Rite Aid up the street to get Tums, and of course grab some junk food. When I got to the cashier, I said, "Will you ever get any hand saniitizer in?" She told me they had it, but it was behind her counter so they could ration it. I got a mediium sized bottle of hand sanitizer, two different brands of hand sanitizer wipes, and also a bottle of alcohol!!!! I was trying not to use the tiny bottle I had for my purse, except for emergencies. Now I can carry the individual wipes in my purse. Woo hoo! I haven't had any problem finding Lysol spray. I got a huge can over a month ago. Not contemplating spraying it into my mouth or injecting it, though.

Re: Household cleaning products

RedTop — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 18:36:26 GMT

@CelticCrafter,

On 2 different occasions I have helped one of my daughters get her insurance company to cover medications that were denied.

All it took was a very clear, concise, factual letter for the insurance company to review and approve coverage. Her issues were centered around drugs not usually prescribed for the reason it was prescribed for her, but these drugs are helping, and because of them she is able to continue to work. Adding that connection to the fact she is working an essential job was a strong factor in the approval.

Re: Household cleaning products

Kachina624 — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 21:11:35 GMT

@suzyQ3 wrote:
I just received my order of a Lysol spray cleaner today from Walmart (it was part of an order). The limit was 1.

@suzyQ3 I started an order last weekend to pick up Thursday. I included 2 12 packs of TP, different brands, figuring at least one, if not both, would be sold out when they filled my order. The Great Value was gone but they substituted Charmin at the cheapo price. So I got Northern and Charmin; felt like I'd won the perfecta. Shopping is like playing a slot machine nowdays.

Re: Household cleaning products

NYCLatinaMe — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 22:40:05 GMT

@Still Raining what do you mean? These things are not disposable. I only purchase things I need. Things don't need to be disposed off permanently. Items can be wiped down or washed, whichever is reasonable. I don't even understand why you think credit cards and shoes are contaminated. It would be hard to get droplets on them unless someone had their uncovered face too close to your cards or shoes.

Re: Household cleaning products

NYCLatinaMe — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 22:47:50 GMT

@CherryHugs Thanks for the info! The Lysol and Clorox wipes just make my life so easy and are better cleaners than most. Just a little bit of scrubbing leaves everything clean. I find that bottle cleaners are hit or miss. I think some stores get some wipes, but shoppers have to be lucky, right place, right time. I can't find my favorite TP, or paper towels, but the lesser brands can do the jobs, just less aborbent, less kind to the skin.