# So what shortages are you personally seeing? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [July 24, 2020, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268 "2020-07-24T23:28:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2020, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/241 "2020-10-04T04:04:27Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > isopropyl alcohol was easily available for about six weeks, and then disappeared for good by mid-August. It disappeared here almost immediately, and has started reappearing recently. Last time I was in the store they had some in spray bottles – there wasn’t much left on the shelves, but it was fairly late in the day. I picked one up. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2020, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/242 "2020-10-04T04:18:31Z")
I got a bottle of regular rubbing alcohol on a recent grocery run, and I know of an online source for 99% isopropyl that as of a minute or two ago purports to have it in stock ([chemboys.com](http://chemboys.com)). DH and I bought a gallon (packaged in 4 1-qt bottles) in March, and have yet to finish the first bottle, even with my botched attempts at DIY hand sanitizer). ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2020, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/243 "2020-10-04T14:36:52Z")
Yeah, i have used less than a liter since March. I’m running low on what i had pre-pandemic, and I’m glad i was able to pick up two large bottles but i think we should be set for a while, with… probably 1.5 liters, possible 2 liters. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/244 "2020-10-05T02:10:11Z")
We use isopropyl to make disinfecting wipes – that accounts for why we probably use more than most households. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/245 "2020-10-05T02:21:52Z")
I went to two different Target stores in my part of town and was unable to find a cat litter pan. I do have the option of hitting Walmart tomorrow (for some bizarre reason, this item cannot be included in a delivery order). ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/246 "2020-10-05T04:03:45Z")
Chewy, maybe? [https://www.chewy.com/b/litter-boxes-413](https://www.chewy.com/b/litter-boxes-413) I don’t know how fast the delivery would be. (In a pinch: cardboard box, litter in that, plastic bag or aluminim foil underneath to protect floor – underneath, not in box where cat might tear it.) ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/247 "2020-10-05T04:10:03Z")
I checked Amazon, and the problem here is delivery time. I can try Winco or Walmart on the way home tomorrow, and PetsMart isn’t that far from my place either. I’m still baffled by why Walmart had this tagged as a “pickup only” item and are not willing to deliver it. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/248 "2020-10-05T05:31:34Z")
You can also use one of those under the bed plastic storage bins. I once had a really big cat who whose butt would sometimes hang over the box so I got a large one for him to be able to comfortably fit in. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/249 "2020-10-05T07:36:13Z")
The bathroom the cat’s box has to be in isn’t THAT big. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/250 "2020-10-05T11:22:26Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > I’m still baffled by why Walmart had this tagged as a “pickup only” item and are not willing to deliver it. It’s not just cat pans. They won’t deliver or allow you to order for store pickup the smallest size of gravity waterers meant for kittens, either. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/251 "2020-10-05T12:02:14Z")
I’ve been slowly overstocking the various items that disappeared last March just in case we get a COVID-19 surge this fall. I now have a large supply of disinfectant wipes, Ice Mountain water, TP, soft soap, etc. I’ve done this slowly over the last several weeks so that there would be no noticeable effect on store stocks. I prefer to think that I am being prudent and not paranoid. LOL ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/252 "2020-10-05T12:14:10Z")
I’ve been doing the same thing, and am feeling an urge to lay in additional reserves of masks and gloves as well. Haven’t been using gloves, but if something nastier than COVID is in the 2020 pipeline… ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/253 "2020-10-05T16:57:32Z")
Yup. I usually have some stock, because I don’t want to have to go to the store all that often even in ordinary times, and because I’ll buy extra of things that are on sale; that’s served me well through these shortage times. I’ve been rebuilding that stock gradually as particular things become available again, and also gradually building up some extra beyond that of things that keep well and that I’ll definitely use. That’s partly because I still don’t know what odd thing might be missing next time I do go to the store, and partly because covid may well blow up again soon – even if it doesn’t around here, problems elsewhere can affect distribution. And if we get a big winter storm coming in, well, I’ll already be stocked. If there’s not a lot on the shelves, I’ll get little of something I’m genuinely short on, and none of something I’m already moderately well stocked with. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/254 "2020-10-05T20:56:04Z")
This may have nothing whatever to do with COVID, but I can’t find Freedent chewing gum. Per Wrigley, they still make it. Walgreen’s website says it’s in their stores, but I haven’t seen any flavor in any size from single 5-stick paks to the bulk pack of umpteen dozen 5-paks. None of our several mainstream grocery chains have it. Neither Walgreens, nor CVS, nor Target have it. Nor the various convenience stores. Trident, Extra, and some other mainstream brand whose name I’m suddenly not recalling are plentiful everywhere. But no Freedent. Strange. ---
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/255 "2020-10-05T21:31:51Z")
Apparently there is trouble with getting rice. A friend bought a 10 lb bag because they hadn’t seen much recently. Hadn’t thought of that one in awhile. ---
**Author:** ![Zelski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c67d28/32.png) [@Zelski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zelski)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/256 "2020-10-05T22:33:18Z")
I am excited! My average day became a good day! I went to one of my grocery stores and I got both of the items I haven’t been able to get since February and December respectively: Isopropyl alcohol and Lysol Laundry Sanitizer. I could have bought all four bottles of the LLS but I only took one. There were about 40 bottles of the rubbing alcohol and I only took one, but it was the larger of the two sizes. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/257 "2020-10-05T23:43:58Z")
> [@Gedd](#): > > Apparently there is trouble with getting rice. A friend bought a 10 lb bag because they hadn’t seen much recently. Hadn’t thought of that one in awhile. I’ve not seen any shortages at my supermarket. Yesterday i went to a local Indian grocery store, and the shelves were covered with large bags of rice. I picked up a ten pounds sack. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2020, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/258 "2020-10-06T03:19:53Z")
At the Walmart I visited today, ramen was wiped out (good thing I already have plenty). ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2020, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/259 "2020-10-07T16:01:25Z")
I haven’t had any trouble with rice either. Is this a regional issue wherever you are? Our local Costco last week had their usual full shelves of 20 lb bags of basmati, as well as many other rices I didn’t examine closely because I wasn’t planning to buy them. I do think they’ve gotten a bit more expensive, though. ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2020, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/260 "2020-10-07T18:12:41Z")
I’ve finally seen ‘Clorox Wipes’ back on some shelves, though at both places they were store brand, single large container, and limited to 1 per customer. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268.md?page=14)