First off some background on some of the basics. Many natural cleaners are made with vinegar, alcohol, peroxide, baking soda, castile soap, baking soda and essential oils.
Here are the two cleaners I just made:
Some common essential oils and what they are good for:
LAVENDER
One of my favorites. Lavender pairs well with another common natural cleaner, vinegar. Use lavender’s soothing scent in homemade dish soap, laundry rinse and linen spray.
It is naturally antibacterial and antiviral, lemon is commonly used to degrease stubborn stains as well as freshen the air. Use it to deodorize your fridge, clean the floor or combine 10 drops with 1/2 cup olive oil for a natural wood or leather polish.
This fights germs, bacteria and viruses in everything from homemade wipes to hand soap to daily shower spray. Tea tree oil is a handy weapon against bugs, too. Add tea tree to a spray bottle with water, shake well, and spray outside and inside the home to deter lice and other pests.
Rosemary’s natural antibacterial and antiseptic properties make it a great addition to homemade dish soap and laundry detergent. Essential oils are perfect for homemade air freshener sprays, and the combination of peppermint and rosemary is perfect when when you need to stay focused and on task.
ORANGE
It’s great against grease. Use 1-2 drops to lift grease or glue from surfaces or combine 12 drops with 1/4 cup castile soap and water to wipe down stovetops and counters. This natural germicide is a powerful dust mite buster. Use it with baking soda to deep clean your mattress and in a dry wash for stuffed animals or just put a few drop in your next wash cycle. And with its clean smell, eucalyptus is great for stinky jobs in the kitchen and bathroom. Eucalyptus leaves and essential oil are great in cupboards to deter pests.
There are countless uses for peppermint oil around the home. Its cool, invigorating scent and antibacterial properties make it a great addition to spray cleaners and natural deodorant spray. For an air freshener that also deters ants and spiders mix 10-15 drops of peppermint essential oil with 1 cup of water in a spray bottle. Shake well and spray along cracks and crevices or wherever ants are see. It can also be a deterrent to mice. Place 5 drops of peppermint essential oil into a cotton ball and place the cotton balls where mice can enter your home. This should deter them from entering that way.
CINNAMON
Cinnamon is naturally antibacterial and antiseptic. Powerful against mold, it’s a great addition to homemade mold and mildew spray. Ground cinnamon and its essential oil are both effective against pests. Sprinkle the ground cinnamon anywhere that pests are seen or apply pure undiluted cinnamon essential oil to the areas with a cotton swab.
Already a common ingredient in cleaners. Pine oil is effective at killing yeast spores, E.coli and other household germs. Pine is perfect for ridding the bathroom of mold and mildew and cleaning hard floors while leaving a natural fresh scent.
Thyme is one of the most powerful essential oil weapons against germs. Thyme is effective against salmonella so you can add it to homemade dish soap and use it to clean cutting boards that have come in contact with raw meat.
Here are my main recipes:
Floor Cleaner-
1 cup vinegar
1 gallon water
10-20 drops essential oils
(I use this each week to wash my floors)
Granite cleaner-which can also be used on stainless steel(I do not use vinegar on granite.
1/4 cup rubbing alcohol
3 drops dish soap like Dawn
distilled water to fill a quart container
5-10 drops essential oil
All Purpose cleaner which can also be used on glass and a quickie clean up for floors-
1 cup vinegar
3 cups water
15 drops essential oil
Glass cleaner-
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup alcohol
2 cups distilled water
Homemade Pine Sol-
To make a toxin-free Pine Sol at home for a fraction of the cost, try this recipe:
1 tablespoon unscented liquid castile soap
4 cups warm water
10 to 15 drops pine essential oil
Baking soda and water mix makes a a good rubbing paste for scouring. Nicole likes to use peroxide instead of bleach. It is a natural stain cleaner and whitener and can be used on toilets, in showers, on grout, for cutting boards and laundry. I still use bleach. Someday I may change that.
How I made my recipes:
My granite cleaner:
Really easy….
Use a quart sized bottle and add 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol, then add 3 drops of dishwashing soap, and fill up with distilled or purified water. Add 5-10 drops of essential oils. For the holidays I used 5 drops of Lavender and 8 drops of peppermint.
Ingredients for my all purpose cleaner(this time):
Add 1 cup vinegar to a quart sized bottle and fill almost to the top with distilled or purified water. Add 15 drops of essential oils. I used 7 lavender, 4 lemon, 2 tea tree and 2 rosemary.
There is no exact science to the mixtures you use. Play around with the scents you like. I have found the best prices for my oils are from Essential Oils
Have fun and give it a try.
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