Why would you want to make your own cleaner? Good question! Because it's healthier to me and the members of my household (one cat and two bunnies), it's easy, it's completely free of chemicals, and it cost me a whopping $1.18 and will last me several months!
The cool thing about this recipe is that you can create any combination of oil and herbs that appeal to you. I got the initial recipe from this site and adapted it to what I preferred.
Here's how you do it...
Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner
(Herbal Infused Vinegar)
Step 1: Infusing the Vinegar (takes 2 weeks).
Step 2: Mixing the infusion with more vinegar and essential oil (optional).
Step 1: Infuse Your Vinegar for Two Weeks
Items needed: Distilled white vinegar, disinfecting herbs of your choosing (rosemary, peppermint, thyme, lemon balm, pine needles, lavender, orange, grapefruit, or lemon peels).
Instructions:
1. Measure out 1/2 c. total dried herbs into a clean jar. Cover with approximately 1-1/2 c. distilled white vinegar.
2. Put the lid on it. Shake it. Store it for 2 weeks (shaking it when you remember, every day or every couple of days).
3. After 2 weeks, move onto step 2, if desired.
Step 2: Mix Your Infused Vinegar (optional)
Items needed: Infused vinegar from step 1, more distilled white vinegar, essential oils of your choosing, an empty spray bottle.
Instructions:
- Strain all the herbs out of your vinegar using a fine-mesh sieve or a coffee filter.
2. Pour all of your infused vinegar into the spray bottle and add 1 c. regular distilled white vinegar (this is just to add “new” and potent vinegar to your cleaning).
3. Drop in about 30-50 total drops of essential oil (Good “Cleaning” Essential Oils: Lemon, orange, pink grapefruit, rosemary, tea tree, eucalyptus, peppermint, lavender.)
- Shake it.
Makes 2-1/2 c.
This will keep for several months.
Total Cost:
Herbs: $0.24
Vinegar: $0.79
Essential oils: (approximate) $0.15
Total: $1.18
