I can be a germ freak. I know this is bad, because sanitizing everything obsessively only increases the chance of creating a disinfectant-resistant bacteria, or “super germ.” But I can’t seem to stop and, when cleaning areas such as the kitchen or the bathroom, find myself reaching for a bottle of disinfectant cleaner.
In the past, I have used both Lysol and Clorox disinfectant wipes. However, I realized that I can get the same results using Lysol and Clorox disinfectant spray and an ordinary paper towel while paying a lot less. Convenience, it seems, is expensive. Thus, I decided to investigate the disinfectant sprays from these two well-known companies.
Lysol makes a product with a very easy-to-remember name: Lysol Disinfectant Spray. Not very creative, but germaphobes don’t want creative – they want results. And results is what Lysol promises. Lysol Disinfectant Spray comes in a metal, aerosol can and dispels the product forcefully, promising 99.99% of germs (including the germs that cause “bad odor”).
You can purchase Lysol Disinfectant Spray in several scents, but I chose Original Scent because I wanted clean, not caustic perfume with cute names like “Fresh Spring Breeze.” Nothing fresh or “Spring”-like about killing germs!
Unfortunately, Lysol Disinfectant Spray didn’t meet my purposes. I wanted a traditional spray that would allow me to clean with it. However, Lysol Disinfectant Spray seems to be made to be sprayed and left to evaporate, not clean! Sure, you kill the germs, but I also want to clean kitchen counters. A forceful spraying of Lysol Disinfectant Spray moistens the surface of whatever you are spraying, but quickly evaporates. Not suitable for any type of cleaning, although I presume it does a great job of merely disinfecting.
Clorox, Lysol’s competitor, sells Clorox Anywhere Hard Surface Daily Sanitizing Spray. Quite a mouthful after Lysol’s short name, which could hint that it is slightly better. Rather than coming in a metal can, Clorox’s disinfectant spray comes in a traditional spray bottle. This seems to convey that it is more suited for what I am looking for: Not just a disinfectant, but something I can use to wipe and clean surfaces.
Like Lysol Disinfectant Spray, Clorox Anywhere Hard Surface Daily Sanitizing Spray kills 99.99% of germs and bacteria (no hint as to whether it kills germs that cause “bad odor,” but oh well!). It is basically glorified bleach, which you could make at home but that would be much more work than merely reaching for a spray-bottle of this ready-made disinfectant.
Clorox Anywhere Hard Surface Daily Sanitizing Spray does not have a scent, nor can you buy a version with a scent. It is plain, simple, and means business. Unlike home-made bleach cleaning solutions, this needs NO rinsing and promises to be safe for pets. It also says it is food-safe, but I am very hesitant about testing that out. Best of all, Clorox’s disinfectant spray works great for what I wanted (cleaning, not just disinfecting). A couple sprays and a handy paper towel makes easy work of cleaning my kitchen and bathroom, while also appeasing my germaphobic brain.
In summary, Lysol Disinfectant Spray is fine if you are not cleaning and merely want to disinfect a surface in your home. Unfortunately, because of its aerosol can, it is hard to gage how much product you have left in the can.
Clorox Anywhere Hard Surface Daily Sanitizing Spray is better if you want to clean and disinfect a surface in your home. Clorox’s product is also slightly cheaper and, coming in a traditional trigger spray-bottle, you can tell how much disinfectant you have left. It might have a longer name, but Clorox Anywhere Hard Surface Daily Sanitizing Spray goes a longer way than Lysol’s product.
