As America is going into it's 6th month of the coronavirus lockdown, businesses are re-opening and we are all trying to resume our daily lives and even going to the grocery store is no longer a frustrating, impossible task. While the supply chains for food and toilet paper appear to have rebounded, one item seems to have remained almost extinct: “DISINFECTANT WIPES". However, it is still necessary to wipe down surfaces to protect employees, customers and yourself.

Consumers and business have purchased a unprecedented amount of wipes from March to May with a increase of sales that jumped 144% and demand is still high. Manufacturers are still struggling to keep up with demand and there are several factors preventing them from completing the task—including pockets of COVID 19 cases and demand as various parts of the country reopen and reclose, difficulties with the sourcing of some materials, and safety regulations.

According to Brian Sansoni, senior vice president of communication for the American Cleaning Institute, a trade group for cleaning-product manufacturers “In the past month or so you’ve seen different regions of the U.S. reopening as they move into different phases. Those restaurants, those offices have their employees using more wipes and disinfectants and sanitizers.” The rapid spread of the virus in states like Texas and Florida have also pushed the already-high demand even higher, which has ramifications up and down the supply chain. Sansoni goes on to say restrictions on factories in China has made it difficult for American companies to source quaternary ammonium compounds, which are the antimicrobial disinfectant chemicals found in cleaning wipes and sprays, though the shortage has abated somewhat. Sellers of packaging components for all cleaning products—like wipe canisters, hand sanitizer pumps, and spray bottles—are also experiencing strains because manufacturers abruptly increased their orders all at once.

Suppliers are getting creative to get disinfecting wipes to market. Viking is offering a make-your-own wipe system, using a reusable charging container with their Classic Wipers to create disinfecting wipes using sanitizing solutions like Neutral Lemon Slam and FREE & CLEAR DISINFECTANT which are EPA-approved coronavirus killing disinfectants.

This article was brought to you from Viking Janitor Supplies, Maryland's leading source for COVID-19 cleaning and sanitary products. Contact one of our specialists to learn more email or call 410-525-2100