Lysol Sanitizing Wipes Versus Clorox Disinfecting Wipes

Household cleansing wipes are one of the greatest inventions ever! They are easier, quicker, and more convenient to use than many other cleaners, and are disposable and relatively inexpensive. I use them nearly every day in my kitchen, dining room, and bathrooms. There are several different brands of these cleaning wipes available on the market, the two most recognizable of which are made by Clorox and Lysol.

Both products are extremely similar in packaging, price, and performance. Both come in several fresh-smelling scents that help your home smell clean. My favorite Lysol scent is Spring Waterfall; for Clorox, it’s Lemon Fresh. There appear to be about an equal number of different scents available for each brand.

Each of these products comes in a sealed plastic canister. Inside the canister, the wipes are stored in an upright roll. The idea is to pull the corner of the wipe from the center of the roll up through a hole in the cap to create a pull and dispense method similar to that of a box of Kleenex. The wipes are separated by perforations and are supposed to pull apart easily as you thread them through the top of the canister. I have found that neither Clorox nor Lysol wipes thread or separate easily at all.

It is often a struggle to get the first wipe started, then pushed through the hole in the lid. After that, the wipes tend to tear in places other than the perforation or sometimes do not tear at all. Unless you are extremely careful or extremely lucky, you often end up with a small scrap of a wipe or half the roll coming through the lid. Both Lysol and Clorox really need to do something about this ineffective method of dispensation. Much of the time, I end up taking the entire roll out of the canister and storing it in a Ziploc bag instead.

I have found that the Lysol Sanitizing Wipes are usually slightly less expensive than the Clorox Disinfecting Wipes. I also find many more manufacturer’s coupons for the Lysol Brand than for Clorox. Consequently, I generally purchase Lysol more often than Clorox even though the performance of the two brands is practically identical. There are forty wipes in a regular-size canister of Clorox wipes, while there are only thirty-five in the Lysol container. The individual Lysol wipes, however, are slightly larger than their counterparts. The small differences in quantity and size appear to make the products come out even in this respect.

Both Clorox Disinfecting Wipes and Lysol Sanitizing Wipes claim to clean disinfect, and sanitize wherever they are used. From what I have experienced, they do an excellent job of this. Both products are from trustworthy and well established companies. They are safe to use on just about any hard surface, although it is recommended to rinse with water any surfaces that come in contact with food after you wipe them. Neither brand of wipes recommends using them on dishes.

Cleansing wipes have sometimes been known to cause skin irritations, but no more so than any other household cleaning product. It is recommended that you always wash your hands after using the wipes. Using them to clean skin is not recommended! Neither brand contains bleach, so they are generally not hazardous to those sensitive to bleach.

Despite the problems with packaging, Lysol Sanitizing Wipes and Clorox Disinfecting Wipes are a must have for any busy home. They are great for quick cleaning of spills and other messes and for disinfecting counters after preparing food. I even use mine as a quick “mop” for my vinyl floors! They are a convenience that I am happy to have.