Best Disinfectant Wipes

But disinfectant wipes should be used in moderation. Anna Soehl, a researcher at the Green Science Policy Institute, says they should be reserved for when there’s a risk of disease transmission, for example, after cleaning up vomit, blood, etc. “We really do not need to disinfect much at home,” she says. “Cleaning with plain soap and water should be sufficient.”

But sometimes your kid does barf in the car or your senior dog has a diarrhea explosion on the kitchen floor, and soap and water don’t quite cut it. In those instances, a disinfectant wipe or two can get the work started before you get a bucket of cleaning supplies to do the rest (or you call in a professional).

We tried six of the most popular disinfectant wipes on the market to see which ones cleaned the best—and had the least offensive smell—and which you shouldn’t bother with. (We didn’t look at how well the wipes disinfected.) Be sure to read our section on disinfectant safety, too.