Clorox running low on disinfecting wipes, its CEO says

BULLSHIT! It's about jacking up prices on everything they make.

MAKING $$$$$$!!!!

We're using them wrong anyway. The surface is supposed to stay wet for at least four minutes. No one can do that.

We're all going to die. If we don't get a superbug. And die of that.

I haven't seen any in stores since mid-March.

Good thing I have fifteen cases of them left.

And ten cases of bleach.

I see them from time to time (Lysol, not Clorox.) I make my own spray for surfaces from bleach, wash what I can with dish soap and water. I found alcohol wipes to do the phone. Mostly I like Clorox for the inside of the car, which I don't do much, but some.

I wouldn't be surprised if what little they had left in the stores was bought by employees who then sell it on the black market.

R4 should be arrested for hoarding.

^ LOL, I felt a little guilty when I bought five canisters back in March!

I don't blame R4. I would do the same. If you're hoarding to use them, I see no issue with that - I would've done the same if I saw this coming because I loved clorox/lysol wipes. The convenience was awesome. They were a staple in my home. I haven't had any since April (I had six canisters and finished them).

Well, he's not a very good CEO is he? Hey bub, why don't you take a lesson from the forelady in I Love Lucy's chocolate episode?

"Speed It Up!!"

I agree, R10.

We're supposed to be the most advanced country in the world, and we can't even produce enough anti-bacterial wipes, to keep up with demand?

That's pathetic.

We won WWII (by way of supplying the Soviets, in no small part) with our manufacturing prowess. Now, 6 months into this crisis we still can't produce enough wipes and authentic N95 masks for our people. Something really is deeply wrong in the US, quite apart from the buffoon in the Whitehouse.

White House*

r12

You're 100% correct. It was the US lend lease that won the war. At the end of WWII, the USA had more manufacturing output than all the rest of the world COMBINED. And the US manufacturing and industrial capacity never exceed more than 25% of it potential capacity.

R12

Our factories were retooled to meet war demand, which is why there were no American autos manufactured in the early '40s. The government isn't going to take that kind of control over manufacturing for this crisis. Maybe it should, but it won't.

Lysol (or whoever) and 3M could easily farm out work under license and to spec to other manufacturers but haven't and won't -- why? Someting is really fucked up, and it has the stink of greed. Where are our watchdogs? Are there even real investigative reporters anymore, or is it breathless, opinion-making cunts 24/7 now?

[quote] The government isn't going to take that kind of control over manufacturing for this crisis. Maybe it should, but it won't.

I thought they already did?

Trump issued an executive order to put the Defense Production act into effect already:

[quote] "On March 23, Trump issued an executive order classifying "health and medical resources necessary to respond to the spread of COVID-19" as subject to the authority granted by DPA to prohibit hoarding and price gouging.

[quote] Trump's initial reluctance to use the act's authorities prompted criticism. On March 27, 2020, after negotiations with GM had broken down over costs, estimated at over $1 billion, but primarily due to GM’s inability to commit delivering the number of ventilators required speedily, Trump ordered HHS Secretary Alex Azar to use the DPA to require GM to accept and prioritize contracts for as many ventilators as Azar determines to be appropriate. Trump also named Peter Navarro national policy coordinator for the DPA.

[quote] On April 2, Trump said he was invoking the DPA to require 3M, General Electric, and Medtronic to increase its production of protective masks (N-95 respirators).

[quote] On April 28, Trump announced that he intends to issue an executive order under the Defense Production Act mandating that plants producing beef, pork, poultry and eggs stay open.

There's absolutely no reason why we should be running low on disinfecting wipes, especially given the reasons for the shortage, as stated by the Clorox CEO. NO REASON for it.

[quote] Someting is really fucked up, and it has the stink of greed.

You and I are on the same page, R16.

What you wrote is the first thing that crossed my mind.

They're holding back on production, and I'm sure that it has everything to do with money.

Fucking greedy cunts!

Ach so, a multi-national.

W. T. F.

And 3m, look at the top 10 owners ...

They might like to keep demand and profits high, do you think.

We're fucked. Time for a revolution.

I have about a dozen canisters of wipes. A mix of Clorox, Lysol, and WalMart brand. If they have any wipes or disinfecting sprays at the store, I grab a few. I never take them all though. I leave several in hopes that someone will leave me some when I need them too.

Same here, R20.

I don't want to be greedy, so I take a little here, and a little there on my shopping trips.

And leave the rest for others.

I never see Clorox wipes anywhere.

R7 should be arrested for stupidity for believing me.

[quote] I never see Clorox wipes anywhere.

Now you know why.

I really need some anti-bacterial wipes.

I'm starting to feel paranoid about germs.

^^^Havent seen Wet Ones for a long time.

You can buy them off Amazon. I got 20 gross.

^^^What are you referring to?*^^

“Running low??” I haven’t seen them in stores since march. Where the fuck are they going if they’re not in stores??

If you’re absolutely determined to have the Clorox brand, that sucks. I do understand wanting a particular brand. But there are other bleach or disinfecting wipes out there.

And you can certainly make your own wipes with nice paper towels like Viva, and a bleach solution.

Our Safeway grocery store have these 99.9% wipes 2 for $6. They come in a flip-top open, similar to soft pack baby wipes. I've picked up a few. Also Odorban is an almost unknown brand that is a spray disinfectant like Lysol, 99.9% of germs killed. Keep your eyes our for that, as I have seen this in the warehouse store more often than Lysol.

I work in a warehouse store, and we workers do get access to some of these items before the consumers. They watch our memberships for abuse, so no mass buying for a side selling hussle. I have been able to get Clorox/Store Brand disinfectant wipes, and Lysol spray. I have sent some to my brother in Florida, and my daughter took some when she visited from Texas. Part of the problem may be that the disinfectant wipes & Lysol sprays come in a 4 or 5 pack at these warehouse stores. These should be cut down to 2 packs at the very most, with limit 1. This would allow more people to get their hands on some.

Fun fact: limit 1 is per transaction, and the register will not let you buy more than 1. But, walk right back in and buy your next 1 unchecked.

(Off-topic, but I can't believe how harshly they treat ordinary citizens; penny pinching and how they crack down on people - a side-selling hustle? On Clorox wipes? WTF!? Don't we all know that these billionaires get millions in hand-outs!!! All legal, too! WTF?). It's simply criminal!

How about Lysol spray?

How about baby wipes?

cleansing theater. fomite transmission has turned up very little. It's all about aerosol transmission

I bought Clorox wipes at Walmart yesterday

You can't really blame Clorox (fairly or at least entirely.)

As noted, supply and demand. The material used for the wipe is also used in PPE gowns, so there's competition.

Second, the nature of the supply chain has changed. That material is probably made overseas... where labour is cheaper.

Third, blame, in part, yourself. Everybody wants stuff cheap and that's why so much of manufacturing moved overseas. Labour is cheaper.

I think manufacturing should move back to North America to a larger extent than today, given what we've learned in the pandemic. But consumers are going to have to stop expecting everything at dollar store prices.

[quote] Third, blame, in part, yourself. Everybody wants stuff cheap

Guess what? It's NOT CHEAP any more.

Not toilet paper, or paper towels, or cleaning supplies.

Stores are selling all of these items at full price, and many have even increased the price. Sales on these types of items are non-existent anymore.

So the "cheap stuff" argument doesn't work any more, because they're not cheap.

That's market economics, dear. It has nothing to do with the cost of manufacturing, it has to do with supply and demand. That's capitalism. It sucks, but short of government imposing price controls (which has it's own negative economic implications), that's the way the system works. The point is under normal conditions, when they return, what are people prepared to pay for normal level demand. But thanks for contributing.

I stopped using paper towels around 2009-2010 when Scott towels stopped making Job Squad paper towels.

When I ran out of Job Squad I went to the dollar store and bought dish towels, washcloths and towels and I now use them in place of paper towels.

After I use them I put them in a separate laundry bag so I don’t get food smells mixed in with my clothes, bathroom towels and sheets.

R36, where are you and was there a limit on how many you could buy?

R26: I have bought trial/travel size wet ones at Walgreens (but they don't always have them). I have not seen Clorox wipes or Lysol spray since mid-March. There is definitely something sketchy going on in this so-called first world nation.

Capitalism is based on greed. The public is getting to see it run amok now. Next time, vote for Bernie (who's too old to run again, but there are other Socialists to step in and feel the void)!

[quote] Capitalism is based on greed. The public is getting to see it run amok now

Indeed.

[quote]vote for Bernie (who's too old to run again, but there are other Socialists to step in and feel the void)!

Because under Socialism, no country has ever experienced empty shelves.

(Rolling my eyes so hard, I'm giving myself a headache).

Capitalism has failed. People are dying, millions are out of work, and food and grocery shortages are widespread and common. We can’t provide basic PPE for healthcare workers, let alone supermarket or delivery people. “Essential” workers are largely underpaid and doing grunt work. Meanwhile CEOs are tripling their profits, but we can’t have universal healthcare. It’s absolute insanity that anyone but the very wealthy believe in capitalism anymore.

I certainly agree. Just face the truth, our entire foundation is simply NOT set up to deal with a pandemic like COVID-19. This is because there's not enough profit to be made. No one had the foresight to produce more PPE (no profit here). However, look at the greedy pharmaceutical companies running over themselves to find a vaccine-the big bucks are there.

To add: I never thought I'd see the day when Americans would risk their lives to bring home a paycheck.

R47 some people are making isopropyl alcohol, but they're charging crazy prices for them.

I went to the grocery store and saw these little home made types of jars with a crude label that said "70% Isopropyl Alcohol."

It was bout 1/4 of the volume that a normal bottle of alcohol would be, and it cost 3.99!

So yeah, everything nowdays is being made for profit. I would almost call it price gouging.

Yep. Anything for a buck.