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Looking for ways to reduce chemical cleaners in your home AND save money? In just minutes you can mix up a bottle of all-purpose spray to use all over your home. The best part is, it costs less than $1!
Even though I do not enjoy cleaning, I hands-down love having a clean home. And, with young children spilling-fingerprinting-licking-touching All. The. Things., I want to be sure the surfaces around our home are safe for…whatever the little ones will do with them! This means being aware of the dangers of chemical cleaners and keeping them far away from my kiddos.
Why You Should Use a Non-Toxic Spray Cleaner
It’s no secret that commercial cleaners contain unwanted and harmful chemicals, which increase health risks, especially if you have allergies or extra sensitive skin. In recent years, I’ve become more and more sensitive to scents, especially the strong artificial fragrances found in laundry detergents/dryer sheets, air fresheners, and oh my–those disinfecting wipes…yuck!
Additionally, I’m a bit of a nerd and can rarely buy something without comparing the cost, so I love that homemade cleaners are so inexpensive to make! Saving money + reducing chemicals in our home + saving time = win, win, win!!
Thankfully, it’s incredibly easy to make your own non-chemical cleaners, using just a few common household products! One of the first changes I made in our home when trying to reduce our use of chemical cleaners was a homemade all-purpose disinfectant spray (keep reading for the recipe!).
I love this simple cleaner for several reasons:
- There are only 3 ingredients (ingredients which I ALWAYS have in my home!)
- You can mix it up quickly — in under 1 minute!
- It’s less expensive than store-bought cleaners–total cost is only $0.41! (Incredible!)
- It’s completely natural and non-toxic, and super safe to use around children and pets.
- It’s all-purpose–meaning it will naturally clean ALL the things (WITHOUT harmful synthetic chemicals!
You’ll most likely want several bottles of this cleaner around your home since it is so simple to make and extremely versatile to use. It can actually replace multiple cleaning products–disinfectant sprays, multi-surface cleaners, furniture polish, window cleaners, disinfecting wipes, and air fresheners!
Cleaning Uses
I use this cleaner on E V E R Y T H I N G — to disinfect our kitchen table (after meals) and countertops (after prepping food, especially raw egg/meat juices); to wipe down appliances like the microwave, coffee maker, toaster, etc.; to disinfect toys after the littles have been sick or simply drooled on them; to wipe down baseboards; to clean mirrors and polish bathroom hardware (no streaking!); even to remove mold from our windows (no bleach here), and as a non-toxic air freshener!
How to Make All-Purpose Spray Cleaner
To make this homemade cleaner, you’ll need:
- An empty 16-ounce spray bottle (a glass spray bottle is best)
- Distilled white vinegar
- Water
- Essential oil of choice (I love all the oils from Rocky Mountain Oils!)
Directions:
- To the empty spray bottle, add 1 cup water and 1 cup distilled white vinegar. Gently shake to mix.
- Add 6 drops essential oil of choice (I prefer citrus scents, like lemon or grapefruit, or this amazing citrus blend; tea tree oil is also a good one because of its antiseptic properties)
- Place the spray attachment on the top of the bottle and gently shake.
- Use all over your home to clean kitchen countertops and appliances, tables, floors, bathrooms, windows, disinfect toys, etc.
Where to Buy Essential Oils
My favorite essential oils company, Rocky Mountain Oils, is a reputable company with affordable essential oils, diffusers, and other supplies (I love their organic wool dryer balls!).
Rocky Mountain Oils (RMO) also provides purity tests, so you know you’re getting quality oils every time. And, they always have FREE shipping (in the U.S.)! What’s not to like?!
Related Article: How to Get Your Home Spring Ready (+ FREE Printable Cleaning Checklist)
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