In the olden days of 2019, disinfectant wipes had a small but dedicated market. Germaphobes and parents bought them regularly; for many of the rest of us, they were either an occasional or unnecessary thing. Now everything has changed, and the companies that make the wipes are struggling to keep up.
Clorox won’t be able to keep up with demand until sometime next year, HuffPost reports. The company normally makes enough extra wipes to get through cold and flu season, but they had no way to prepare for COVID-19.
The company is also running behind on other pandemic-related supplies, including liquid bleach, but expects those will be back in stock over the next four to six months. The disinfectant wipes will take longer.
Until then, the CDC recommends cleaning high-touch surfaces with any household cleaner, and if you want extra protection, to use any of the coronavirus disinfectants on the EPA’s “List N.” This may mean keeping a spray bottle and a roll of paper towels in your car or diaper bag, instead of a pack of Clorox wipes, but it will still do the job.
