With some household cleaners flying off shelves or permanently out-of-stock online at Amazon, many of us are forced to go on endless scavenger hunts driving from store to store hoping to find them. Between home schooling and working from home, who has the time?
Lysol wipes, in particular, are out of stock most places–but that doesn’t mean you can’t still find them during the COVID-19 outbreak. We spoke to several shopping experts about the secret hacks they’re using to find Lysol wipes when they’re sold out everywhere online, in the grocery stores and pharmacy chains:
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Office Supply Stores
Stores like Staples are a not-so-obvious place to pick up cleaning supplies. "The store keeps them in stock for cleaning offices and gets new shipments weekly during the crisis, but the supply doesn't go as quickly as in CVS or the supermarket because people don't think to check there," shopping expert Michelle Madhok tells us.
What's her tip? Make friends with your local Staples workers to find out what the new shipment days are. "I made friends with a worker at my local store, and he told me that they get shipments on Wednesday from 12-3. Sure enough, I went right at noon and got Lysol wipes straight out of the box--plus, toilet paper, paper towels and Clorox spray!"
'Find If Available In A Store Near Me'
"One way to buy cleaning products, including Lysol wipes, when they seem to be out of stock at CVS and local supermarkets is to make a list of all the stores and chains in your town. Then search on each store's individual website to see if they have the item available for purchase online, and if it is not, search 'find if available in a store near me', enter your zip code, and the store search should pull up each store near you that has any in stock," Stacy Caprio of Deals Scoop tells us. "I've used the store near me search feature to find isopropyl alcohol during this time when it is 100% out of stock online and in most stores near me."
Lysol Hacks
Did you know that you can use liquid detergent and other cleaners as effective replacements for Lysol wipes? "I got Lysol (lavender) in a bottle and put into a spray bottle diluted with water per the back of the bottle instructions," one user wrote on my local moms group.
Try putting rubbing alcohol into a spray bottle, says Dr. Pia Lieb, DDS, founder of Cosmetic Dentistry Center in NYC.
"Use laundry detergent as a substitute to clean surfaces or wash items," Jagdish Khubchandani, professor of Public Health at Ball State University advises.
Natural Options
Think outside the chemicals and bleach for options like Force of Nature Spray or Enozo spray bottles that turns regular tap water into a multipurpose cleaner and sanitizer. Etsy sellers like Essentially Namaste are also making items like hand sanitizer when they are out-of-stock.
Wholesalers
Stores like Costsco get larger shipments of supplies, and therefore have them in store for longer than your local CVS or grocery store. Follow your local moms group on Facebook to get the alerts when Costco and BJ's get their shipments in. Be ready to act fast!
Home Improvement Stores
Stores like Home Depot and Lowe's have cleaner aisles, although they might not be the first place you'd think to look.
Mom And Pop Stores
"Two local stores in my town--a food specialty market and a community pharmacy--both had Lysol wipes and other cleaners in stock when CVS shelves were empty," a source tells us. Plus, you get to support local business at this time!
