Advertiser Disclosure: At Slickdeals, we work hard to find the best deals. Some products in our articles are from partners who may provide us with compensation, but this doesn’t change our opinions. Our editors strive to ensure that the information in this article is accurate as of the date published, but please keep in mind that offers can change. We encourage you to verify all terms and conditions of any product before you apply.

Reading Time: 5 minutes

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.

While we don’t have a secret stash of goods, we do have tips from our community of over 14 million Slickdeals users and deal hunters to help you locate and purchase COVID-19 essentials more easily and know when your preferred items are back in stock, along with ways to find the items you need from alternate vendors or stores.

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:

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:

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.

Set Your Deal Alerts Now

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:

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.

Set Your Deal Alerts Now

Read Next:

AE

Ashley Eneriz

I am a lifestyle and personal finance writer based in SoCal and have been a freelance writer since way before working remotely was the new norm. Being a wife and a mom to three young awesome kids, I have made it a regular habit to check out Slickdeals (even before joining the SD content team) to help fill up my pantry and gift closet for 50-70% off retail prices. As a family of five, we go through snacks, gifts, and toilet paper at an alarming rate, so I love a good deal and am also not afraid to dig through a thrift store to score incredible finds. When not writing about amazing deals to help people save and cool things on sale, I am taking care of my three girls, homeschooling, or stuck with my nose in a book. Sometimes, at the same time.