For years I have been using all-purpose store
bought cleaners around the house, especially on my kitchen counters. One day I
decided to read the back of one of these bottles. It clearly stated that after
spraying your surface areas, one was to wash said area thoroughly with water.
How many of us actually do this? We spray then wipe with a damp cloth…right? I realized this
meant I was leaving quite a bit of chemical residue on the very counters I
prepared food on. So while my counters were “bacteria or germ” free, I was also
ingesting lord knows what kind of chemicals into my system. I knew then that I
had to find my own solution. One that would do the job of keeping my home spaces
clean and without the use of chemicals. Here is a good homemade cleaning solution
using natural, common components and will save you a bit of money.
You will need:
1 20-22oz-spray bottle (got this for $12 at Peakes)
Half cup of white vinegar
15 drops of orange oil or lemon oil
Baking soda (optional)
Filtered water
Directions:
Pour ½ cup white vinegar into spray bottle;
add 2 tablespoons of baking soda and 15 drops of orange or lemon essential oil.
Fill remainder of the bottle with filtered water
Shake well before use.
Why white vinegar? It is a
natural all purpose cleaner, brightener and herbicide. It has been enjoying a
new found popularity as many people try to avoid the toxic or harsh cleaning
chemicals around children and pets. White vinegar doesn’t irritate allergies
like some fragranced cleansers and most importantly it’s green and relatively
cheap.
Why orange oil? It is an essential oil derived from orange rinds.
With its powerful solvent qualities, orange oil very beneficial for use around
the house. It can be used in cleaning as a degreaser, polish, general cleaner
and a stain remover. You can purchase orange oil or lemon oil from most health
stores or local pharmacy.
Why baking soda? Among its multitude of uses, baking soda is non-toxic,
great at removing stains, attacks grease and great at eliminating odours.
Related:
Hi Arlene, I use vinegar in warm water to mop my floors all the time, so I know its a great cleaning product. But I never thought of using it to clean countertops as I figured all the other products were safe and ready to be used. Now that I know the facts, I am definitely going to be trying out you all purpose cleaner. One question though, why filitered water and not tap water? Thanks Jennifer
ReplyDeleteHi JC. Tap water varies in its degree of hardness and hard water may inhibit the cleaning properties and as such impact the cleaning potential of the solution. I use the filtered water from my refrigerator or you can use distilled water.
ReplyDeleteThanks Arlene. great information. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm always looking for non-toxic cleaners for use around the house, especially with a new baby crawling around. Thanks for the helpful info!
ReplyDelete