Adopting a frugal lifestyle involves learning to make things at home that you would otherwise buy at a store. Homemade cleaning solutions are one of the easiest ways to not only save money but also eliminate harsh chemicals in your home.
You probably know that vinegar is a must-have frugal staple for all sorts of cleaning tasks. But the biggest objection I often hear about using vinegar is the smell. Let me assure you that smell quickly fades, but if it still leaves you squeamish you will love this new recipe I discovered for all-purpose cleaner!
Here are the all-natural ingredients:
- 2 cups water
- ½ cup distilled white vinegar
- 1 tsp. Castile soap w/lavender oil (I love Dr. Bronner’s, it lasts forever!)
- ¾ cup hydrogen peroxide
- 20 drops tea tree oil
Pour all ingredients into an empty spray bottle, shake well.
Spray & wipe clean. Safe to use on ceramic tile, wood, marble & granite.
Safe for the kids to clean with, too!
Notice the cleaner is a cloudy white color, but wipes away clear. This works great on all sorts of gunk! The odor is light and pleasant, not at all harsh.
Read about other homemade cleaners I have shared here and here.
This one is my new favorite, and I plan to keep several bottles on hand throughout our home. With my very active one-year old getting into everything these days, I am thankful for this non-toxic recipe!
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I love Dr. Bronner’s soap too! I use it for everything.
Jo
http://www.thelivingwellmoms.com
http://joshealthcorner.blogspot.com
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I’ve made my own cleaner before but it’s a little different than your recipe. I’ll have to try yours!
I LOVE homemade cleaners though… my store-bought ones always made me sneeze and even a little nauseous, and homemade NATURAL ones have not bothered me at all!
{Oh, and I secretly love the smell of vinegar… I’m weird, I know!}
-Amy
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This looks great and I will have to try it. I’m one of the ones that can’t stand the vinegar smell.
Mary @ Tips & Treasures´s last blog post ..Absent
This is very similar to the one I use, except I add rubbing alcohol to mine instead of peroxide.
And Amy, you’re not too weird… I secretly love the smell of rubbing alcohol… and tires. 🙂
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Call me dumb, but what would you use this type of cleaner for? I make a cleaner with borax for the bathroom and floors (and sometimes walls) but is this more for like throughout the day type thing? 🙂 Amy
Hey, I love hydrogen peroxide (for killing germs) but remember that it must stay in a DARK container. It looses all its good properties when exposed to light coming into the container from light color or see through walls. It actually becomes more like just WATER!
I love Dr. Bronner’s soap too! I use it for everything. Jo http://www.thelivingwellmoms.com http://joshealthcorner.blogspot.com
This looks great and I will have to try it. I’m one of the ones that can’t stand the vinegar smell.
Mixing vinegar and hydrogen peroxide in this recipe above can create a noxious gas..Not recommended in a spray mixture. In a well-ventilated area and on non-porous surfaces you can spray hydrogen peroxide then spray vinegar on top- Let sit at least 30 minutes (Note: if area starts to dry out- reapply as above to keep moist during time). Then Wash down-Rinse-Dry. This can help reduce mold growth and some germs.
Also Tea Tree Oil is toxic in large enough amounts. So not kid friendly.
Isoproypl Alcohol is a petroleum by product and some research is indicating that can be a carcongenic. Use Vodka instead!
Using borax and water in a solution of 1 Tablespoon per 1 cup warm water and applying to a non-porous surface-Let sit at least 15 minutes-Wash-Rinse-Dry. This also helps with mold and some other germs. But, borax must not be ingested because of its toxicity. Do not use borax in the kitchen! Keep out of reach of children and pets.
@Living with Hard Water, I am on my very first feat of making a homemade cleaner. You are the first to present the chemical reactive issues between vinegar and hydrogen peroxide in my research journey, so I was wondering what your ideal all-purpose surface cleaner recipe is.
1:1 water vinegar as a base, I also have lemon juice, baking soda, bronners tea tree soap, hydrogen peroxide, vodka, and a myriad of essential oils.
I’d typically like to go beyond the water/vinegar recipe because I’m not a huge fan of the smell, but I also want to optimize the cleanability, and I am unsure of the ratios beyond this. I’d like to hear what you use.
Just wanted to add that you should not use vinegar on your granite!!!! It will cause pitting and become cloudy!!!
BAKING SODA — I never ever thought to clean with it before. It’s so amazing on cleaning the scuff marks from pans in my sink and so many other places around the kitchen, that I found a cute shaker at the local charity store and filled it with BS. I keep it right at hand because the bottle is so adorable it doesn’t need to be put away.
Best regards! New Addington Carpet Cleaners Ltd.
Love these shortcuts and tips and will definitely try them! Thanks for sharing 🙂