Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner

The first ever reason why I became interested in natural living was because I needed to find a recipe to make non-toxic cleaner at home that is safe for my baby, as I explained in my post "Blogging with a Purpose." Since then, I have never purchased any conventional store-bought cleaners anymore. No more different bottles of toxic cleaners to clean counter-tops, toilets, mirrors, door knobs, baby cribs, baby toys, etc. They are all in one bottle. It's not only economical, it's safe to use, and we can teach our children to help us with house chores while feeling safe that they are not ingesting toxic chemicals. Here's the recipe for my homemade all-purpose cleaner.

Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner

Re-use an empty spray bottle and fill it with:

40% vinegar
60% water
A little bit of pure tea tree essential oil
A little bit of pure lemon essential oil (optional)

Vinegar is very affordable and readily available. It helps de-grease and prevent soap scum from building up. The smell of vinegar will dissipate quickly.

Tea tree essential oil is anti-fungal, antiseptic, anti-viral, and antibacterial.

Lemon essential oil is a good deodorizer and the acidity kills mold, bacteria and germs. It gives a refreshing scent.

Use it to clean hard surfaces in the house. Spray and wipe dry. 

The key is to clean and spray regularly. If you do it only once in a blue moon, there is no doubt that it will be tougher to clean with natural cleaners (because it lacks the toxic/strong chemicals to remove the dirt/grease/scum). When that happens, you can spray the areas with the all-purpose cleaner and make a baking soda paste (baking soda and water) as a mild abrasive, let it sit for a while before you scrub. 

Read here for guidelines on using essential oils.

If making your own all-purpose cleaner doesn't suit you, try this natural all purpose cleaner from Ecover, a company that makes eco-friendly household products. 

Have you made your own homemade cleaners before? Any favorite recipes to share?

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