Why waste your money on toxic, eco unfriendly products when you can mix up your own miracle spray for pennies. This recipe yields one 500ml spray bottle of an easy to make, non-toxic, and very effective all purpose cleanser. This stuff is so good my mom's house-cleaner asked for the recipe, and it is the ultimate workhorse in my home.
Gather your ingredients. You will need:
2 cups water.
2 tablespoons vinegar. I use white vinegar, 5% acetic acid by volume. Vinegar has a high enough concentration of acid to allow it to kill most molds, mildews, and bacterias, making it a wonderful, all natural, and relatively gentle deodorizer and disinfectant. It is also a good degreaser and rust remover.
1/2 teaspoon dish soap. Soaps or detergents work equally well in this recipe. I use a liquid detergent as that is what I happen to have on hand, and I find it cuts through really greasy messes better.
1 teaspoon baking soda. You can find this stuff in the baking section of your local supermarket; it is often sold in a box with a cow or an arm holding a hammer pictured on it. Baking soda is mild base, and is one of the chemicals that causes the cleanser to fizz as it's being mixed.
A few drops of essential oil if you want extra germ killing ability or are just in the mood for a sweet-smelling kitchen (optional) . Many essential oils are stronger antibacterial elements than phenol (the chemical found in most store-bought sprays) and can give your spray a mighty punch. Some of the best germ killing essential oils are lavender, thyme, juniper, tea tree, rosemary, eucalyptus and clove.
Mix your ingredients. Pour the baking soda, soap and vinegar into your spray bottle and give it a stir. It's going to fizz up like crazy, so let it sit and calm down for a few minutes before moving on.
Fill your spray bottle to the top with water. After your solution has calmed down fill to the top with warm water and essential oil if desired. The minerals dissolve easier in warm water, but cold water will work as well in a pinch. Just be prepared to spend a few more seconds shaking the bottle.
Shake and spray. Cap the bottle and shake. Around my house this spray works miracles. It removes dirt, grime, and food from just about anything. For particularly stubborn messes, spray until the areas is wet and wait 5 minutes. The extra time gives the cleaner a chance to do its job. After waiting, just wipe the grime away with a clean rag.
Sonia C. is looking for life's silver lining. A goal that has recently inspired her to transform a rainstorm in her living room into a photographic experiment, the development of a few new skills, and bad haiku.
Required Tools:Spray bottle
Water
Winegar
Baking soda
Dish soap
essential oil (optional)
Quick Tips:I multiply this recipe and mix it by the gallon.
