A few years ago, I decided to set out on a little adventure to make a super simple, pennies cheap, non-toxic, highly effective, grease-cutting, grime-busting, pleasant-smelling, convenient spray-on all-purpose household cleaner.
Whew! Sounds like a tall order to fill, right? That’s what I thought, too, but I’ve found an unbelievably simple solution. After a bit of tinkering and more than a few kitchen disasters, I have arrived at what I believe is the most awesome homemade household cleaner that you can find.
Hygiene expert Donna Duberg, assistant professor of clinical laboratory science at Saint Louis University, explained that simple and inexpensive white vinegar is very effective at killing E. coli, salmonella and shigella bacteria.
“Vinegar is almost 100 percent effective at killing germs if you leave it on for at least 60 seconds, and it leaves a nice shine," said Duberg.
However, vinegar by itself is not very pleasant to smell, and some laboratory tests have found mixed results for the disinfecting power of straight vinegar. The addition of citrus and thyme lend an extra kick of strength while leaving a much more pleasant scent.
So far, I’ve found quite a few uses for this cleaner. One of the nice things about it is that it’s super safe to experiment with because it’s completely non-toxic. This is a definite plus, especially if you have small children in the house.
HOMEMADE NATURAL ORGANIC ORANGE CLEANER
INGREDIENTS
1 gallon white vinegar
5 oranges, sliced with skins
5 lemons, sliced with skins (QP057)
15 drops orange oil (EO015)
15 drops thyme oil
INSTRUCTIONS
♦ Fill a glass jar (I use a half gallon-sized pickle jar) with lemon and orange slices. Add essential orange and thyme oils.
♦ Top the jar off with white vinegar (as much as needed), making sure lemon slices are submerged.
♦ Put on the lid and give it a good shake.
♦ Let sit for a few days, then pour some of the solution through a strainer into a spray bottle.
♦ Top glass jar off with vinegar again to replace the cleaner you removed. Lemon and orange slices can be used over and over again. Replace slices when the peels turn white, indicating that the oils have all been used up.
That’s it! Simple, inexpensive, and proving itself to be endlessly useful around the house and homestead. With this recipe, you can feel confident that your home is truly clean, and your family isn't at risk of exposure to harsh chemicals. To me, that's a real win-win!