Shopping during these uncertain times has been frustrating, to say the least. Shoppers trying to replenish their disinfectant sprays, bleach, toilet paper or sanitizer supplies are met with empty shelves and online deals that sell out in minutes. Especially now that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a statement this week that names two known Lysol products (Lysol Disinfectant Spray and Lysol Disinfectant Max Cover Mist) as being highly effective in killing the novel coronavirus when sprayed on hard surfaces and able to kill the virus in a few minutes on these non-porous surfaces.
Tip 1: Use Slickdeals for specific items on the EPA List by setting up Deal Alerts
Some of the more popular brands and recognized cleaning items listed on the EPA website under “Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)” are available online at stores like Walmart, Target and Amazon, but they sell out fast. The key is to get an alert to your phone or email as soon as these items are in stock and to purchase them quickly. By setting up a deal alert at Slickdeals, our community of 14 million is one of the best ways to know when an item is back in stock or available to buy (at the right price) online.
We found products on EPA’s list that meet the criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 (List “N”) posted on Slickdeals, including both Lysol Disinfectant Sprays named by the EPA:
- Lysol Disinfectant Spray – pack of 2 (19 0z.)for $14.99 on Amazon
- Lysol Disinfectant Spray – $7.49 (19 0z.) from Staples
- Lysol Disinfectant Max Cover Mist – $2.70 (12.5 oz) + free shipping on Amazon
- Scrubbing Bubbles Foaming Disinfectant Multi-Surface Cleaner – pack of 2 (32 oz.) $2.70 at Walgreens
- Fantastik All-Purpose Cleaner – 1 gal. jug, 32 oz. spray bottle at Sam’s Club
Tip 2: Set up multiple Slickdeals Deal Alerts for brands and specific items
We saw deals pop up daily on the Slickdeals forums for Lysol disinfectant spray or wipes, sanitizer or toilet paper. Here are an example of deal posts our community posted for others to shop when people were searching for essential items they couldn’t find on the shelves in their local stores:
- Equate Hand Sanitizer – Sale Price: $3.97 – Stock varies by Walmart locations.
- Charmin Ultra Soft Toilet Paper, 18 Super Mega Rolls – Sale Price: $27.15
- Lysol Disinfecting Wipes, Ocean Fresh, 35/Pack – Sale Price: $3.49 plus free shipping
The items from these Slickeals Deal Threads do sell out fast, so make sure to set a Deal Alert and you’ll be alerted as soon as a new offer is posted by the Slickdeals community. Set up alerts for brands and items, like “Lysol,” “Clorox” and “disinfecting wipes,” to make sure you don’t miss out on posts. You can also set as many alerts as you want for any items you want to get the best deal on, including clothes, food, electronics, tech, warehouse club deals, and more.
Tip 3: Consider alternative online stores and alternate brands
Think outside the box when it comes to your favorite stores and brands. Slickdeals users are getting lucky buying supplies, toilet paper and hand sanitizer from office supply stores, home improvement stores and sporting good stores.
The same principle applies to other items like disinfectants and hand sanitizer. Also look for non-mainstream brands or miniature sizes and stores you would not expect. For example, REI was selling several hand sanitizer options when hand sanitizers were in high demand and Staples sells Lysol disinfectant sprays:
- Lysol Disinfectant Spray – $7.49 (19 0z.) from Staples
- Dr. Bonner Organic Hand Sanitizer – Reg. Price: $5 from REI
Also, your favorite TP brand might be Charmin Ultra or Angel Soft, but this is not the time to be picky. If you are desperate for toilet paper, try buying industrial-sized rolls from Office Depot, Staples, Costco or Sam’s Club. It won’t fit on your toilet paper roll holder, but it is better than using facial tissues or paper towels –both of which can clog plumbing pipes.
Tip 4: Read Slickdeals user comments for helpful advice
Even if a deal thread appears sold out, you might find valuable tips from the community. For example, in the past, this Walgreens deal for Germ-X Hand Sanitizer Gel 30oz went out of stock quickly, but posters alerted the community when it went back in stock and offered tips on how they were able to score the deal through PayPal checkout and constantly refreshing Walgreens’ page.
Additionally, some items will be available for backorders or pre-ordering after they sell out. Information about these options usually pops up in the forum comments, as well. Another very helpful tip shared by users is making sure you have PayPal or another easy-to-access payment with top stores that could help you check out more quickly and beat the rush when you do find a deal in stock.
Some Slickdeals users often share helpful advice based on working at some stores or retailers. When one buyer, who purchased Lysol disinfectant spray from Amazon in March of this year, but questioned whether Amazon could honor the order or handle the volume of orders and shipping, a user springs113 (who joined Slikckdeals in 2008) offered this insight: “It’s not that hard honestly… I’ve worked in a warehouse setting for 5 years. You’d be amazed how much [Amazon] freight is moved in a single hour much less a day.”
Tip 5: Look for CV-19 essentials closer to home
Local stores
You might have better luck finding essentials at local stores, though you’ll likely be met with crowds and buying limits. Many stores get a new shipment in each night during restocking, but that supply often sells out within the first 30-minutes of the store opening. And unfortunately, because stock is going so quickly, stores are not able to adequately update their websites to show current supplies on hand. This means that opting for grocery delivery or curbside pick up may not be a reliable option for low-stock items.
If your community has its own Facebook group or is active on neighborhood apps, like Nextdoor, check in there. For example, several of my neighbors post daily if they went to a store and saw an abundance of in-stock items that have been hard to find, from toilet paper to eggs. This can help you avoid going to several stores each day.
Local distilleries
Some local distilleries are starting to make their own CDC-approved hand sanitizer for individuals in their community and for many you can order online.
Tip 6: For fresh produce and staples, look local
Local restaurants
Many restaurants are selling their raw materials to the community, including staples like bread, eggs and milk, as well as easy-to-cook at-home meals. Check in with your favorite local restaurants and small businesses to see what their specific offerings are or if they are offering meal-prep packages. You might be able to find CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) in your area offering farm-fresh produce. This helpful article also lists great fresh produce and food resources (for Los Angeles) that may also be available similarly in your area.
Restaurant wholesale suppliers
Look out for wholesale restaurant suppliers who are now open to the public for pick up or can deliver produce and pantry products to your home. Some wholesalers and grocers are also now on Postmates and/or other delivery apps that may service your area.
Tip 7: Try curbside pick-up and auto-shipments
For essentials that aren’t constantly out of stock, such as toilet cleaner, shampoo and pet food, set up automatic shipments so you can stay home. Target and Walmart, and several chain pet supply stores are offering curbside pick up (review their websites for services in your immediate area). And for your pets, Petco, Chewy and PetSmart all have autoship options on pet supplies that typically come with free shipping and a small discount. Target online and Vitamin Shoppe also offer several pantry staples, household, beauty and pet items on autoship. Don’t forget to also check out Amazon’s huge list of HSA- and FSA-approved items to make your budget stretch farther during this time.
This time is rough on all of us, but thankfully we have a supportive community to help scour the internet for in-stock items and deals. Remember, setting multiple Deal Alerts and checking the Slickdeals forums frequently is often key to snagging one of these online CV-19 essentials.
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