Officials: Cleaning Supply Shortages Will Last Until Mid 2021

If anything defined our shopping habits in 2020, it's been the hunt for basic cleaning essentials. Early on in the pandemic, it became apparent that the United States was experiencing serious shortages of certain items. As citizens faced the possibility of being locked down indefinitely due to COVID 19, panic buying of disinfectants, paper goods, and cleaning supplies began to set in. And if we're being honest, it still hasn't quite stopped, even 9 months later.

On Thursday, top officials with Clorox said that shortages are more than likely going to last into next year. And by that, they mean the middle of 2021. Are you kidding me?? I don't know where you are shopping, but my family has found it extremely difficult to find Clorox wipes and Lysol spray disinfectant for months now. Months.

Clorox Chief Operating Officer Eric Reynolds told NBC Nightly News, via USA Today, on Thursday that "People are suffering, Covid is surging, but everything we know right now – we probably won’t be back in the type of in-stock positions, or you know, what people are used to going to the store, until mid-2021." This is the third time this year that company officials have pushed back dates for normal production of products amid the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.

Some stores have even been limiting supplies of certain items due to consumer hoarding of essentials such as paper towels, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer. Clorox and Lysol products have been flying off the shelves for months, and consumers are extremely frustrated with the delay of "back to normal" availability. I find it very hard to believe that that won't be for another half a year.