Vomit clean-up powder is often used in public places to clean up the sudden and often eruptive onset of an illness.
Whether at school or the grocery store, cleaning up vomit quickly is necessary for the health and well-being of everyone.
To do this, many public institutions use a vomit clean-up powder to absorb the mess and dissipate the smell.
You may have even seen a janitor at work and wondered what powder the janitor was sprinkling over the vomit.
You may even be wondering why you don’t have a bottle of it in your chemical cabinet right now.
You don’t have to wonder any longer.
We’ve done some research to find out precisely what is vomit clean-up powder.
Vomit clean-up powder is a chemical powder used by both professional cleaners and private individuals to facilitate the easy clean-up of vomit. The powder is designed to absorb liquids, thus turning the liquid vomit into a solid that is easier to sweep up and remove. Many vomit clean-up powders also come with added enzymes to neutralize any unpleasant smells.
Read on to learn more about what vomit clean-up powder is and some tips about where you can find some of the best brands, as well as how to make and use your own homemade brand.
After reading the article in its entirety, you will be ready the next time your child falls ill with a stomach virus.

What Vomit Clean Up Powder Is made From
Vomit clean-up powder is widely produced for use in schools and other public settings, which is why you do not see it often on the cleaning aisle at your grocery store.
It is a powder designed to absorb liquid quickly and effectively, which is not only limited to vomit.
Some vomit clean-up powders contain absorbent silicone, but others are types of granulated chemicals that are highly absorbent.
Such chemicals have to be handled with care and can be dangerous to use around children and pets.
There have been gently used environmentally safe products, and there are now vomit clean-up powders composed of all-natural minerals.
These natural minerals are safe to use around people, pets, and plants, making environmentally safe vomit clean-up powder a popular choice.
Regardless of its exact chemical makeup, many vomit clean-up powders also contain deodorizing enzymes.
Vomit often smells disgusting, and cleaning up the vomit is often not enough to remove all its traces from the area.
The deodorizing enzymes in the vomit clean-up powder help remove the pungent smell of vomit, cleansing the area by drawing the scent out of any surfaces it may be attached to and absorbing that scent into the powder itself.
The whole mess can then be removed with the sweep of a broom.
Where Can You Find Vomit Clean-up Powder
If you are interested in acquiring vomit clean-up powder for your home or place of business, you can buy it off the Internet.
There are several reputable sellers, and prices range from around 10 US dollars to 150 US dollars.
The price depends upon the brand, the quality of the powder, and the amount of powder in the packaging.
A single canister should be sufficient for your home, but a business might require a larger package.
A good economical choice that we found on Amazon was SMELLEZE Natural Vomit & Smell Absorbent.
Smelleze received excellent reviews and is in the $20 range.
If you are looking to buy in bulk, a great option is DiSorb Spill Absorbent Powder.
It comes with 98 bottles and also gets excellent reviews on Amazon.
How Vomit Clean Up Powder Works
Vomit clean-up powder is designed to absorb, and it does not technically have to be used only on vomit.
Because it is designed to absorb liquids, vomit clean-up powder can also be used to clean up various bodily fluids, other spills, and even some types of grease.
When sprinkled over the liquid, the vomit clean-up powder turns the liquid into a solid.
The solid is usually a powder, easy to sweep or vacuum up once the liquid is fully absorbed.
It can also solidify into a gel, which is also easier to clean up than a liquid. Although the process can be chemical, it can also be natural.
When done naturally, the process often uses fat stabilizers or minerals to soak up the liquid.
This process is beneficial on soft surfaces such as carpet or a couch when cleaning up vomit because it pulls the vomit out of the fabric.
How to Make Homemade Vomit Clean Up Powder
Although vomit clean-up powder helps clean up vomit and other bodily fluids in public environments, it is not often seen in homes because it is not needed.
Of course, you can buy a bag or canister of vomit clean-up powder on the Internet, but you can also use products that you already have at home to take advantage of the effects of vomit clean-up powder without the price tag.
Vomit clean-up powder is specifically manufactured to absorb liquids, so anything you have at home that absorbs liquids well can be used as a homemade vomit clean-up powder.
This includes products like baking soda, cornstarch, or cat litter.
Although these home remedies do not have the manufactured power of commercial vomit clean-up powder, they will work perfectly for your vomit clean-up needs.
To use your homemade vomit clean up powder, sprinkle the baking soda, cornstarch, or cat litter on the vomit.
Make sure to cover the entire area, and then allow the powder to sit for 15-20 minutes. Baking soda is a natural deodorizer, so it can also help to dispel any unwanted vomit odors.
Cat litter is also usually manufactured to deodorize, so it should also absorb the noxious smell of the vomit.
If you use cornstarch, you may find yourself sprinkling baking soda on the area anyway or using an aerosolized cleaning spray to freshen up the site.
Vacuum the dried powder up once your homemade vomit clean-up powder has sat on the affected area for 15-20 minutes.
This type of vomit clean-up is especially ideal to use on carpets, but you can vacuum just about any surface.
Once you are done, dispose of your used vomit clean up powder in a trash bag, and disinfect the affected area if possible.
If you have found this article helpful, check out our related article that’s dedicated to showing you how to remove vomit stains from hardwood.