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I want to open this post by expressing how much I absolutely love following along with Chloe on instagram, as well as on her blog called Boxwood Avenue. She has amazing recipes to sub in natural & homemade products to help you live a more natural and sustainable life, she has amazing DIY ideas & recipes, has tips on design, all while living a ranch lifestyle alongside her beloved goats! A truly amazing person to follow, and if any of the previously mentioned info makes you interested, I highly recommend you check her out @boxwoodavenue on instagram, and at boxwoodavenue.com for her blog & business website!
I made her all-purpose natural citrus cleaner, and boy am I a fan! It works like a charm, and is so easy to make. So much so, that I wanted to share the process with you all so you could try it for yourself!
Disclaimer: This cleaner (or vinegar in general) should not be used on soapstone, quartz, marble, or granite. It can be used on other surfaces however, but when in doubt about your surface, just do your own research before using the vinegar on any surface you question!
Vinegar is an awesome disinfectant, killing both salmonella & e coli, and is very acidic! I use this cleaner on all of the surfaces in the kitchen, as well as my bathroom, to ensure both areas are thoroughly disinfected, while also being free of harsh chemicals that can be found in many types of cleaning solutions.
The only ingredients you need for this recipe include: *bold indicates what I used
white vinegar (or cleaning vinegar)
purified water
Optional:
citrus peels
essential oils
herbs
Supplies you will need include:
glass jars
strainer
spray bottle to hold the cleaner
All I did was wait for a night when we were having fruit salad for supper, and therefore, a lot of citrus peels! Now, as you can see from the picture, I filled the jar about halfway with peelings, which I recommend NOT doing! I wish I would have filled the entire jar with peelings as to maximize the citrus smell in the cleaner. Mine turned out smelling a bit too strongly of vinegar, and I believe if I would have used more peelings, the cleaner would have taken on a more citrus aroma.
Next, you fill the remainder of your jar with any other add ins, such as essential oils or herbs. I did not use any, but you can make it however you desire; it's your cleaner!
After you add all of your other ingredients, it is time to add the last remaining ingredient to the recipes: your vinegar! Then seal the jar(s) with a lid, and store the jar(s) in a cool, dark place. I chose the storage room of my parents' house.
Then let these jars sit for 2 - 4 weeks to change from a white colored liquid to a more dark orange, yellowish coloring, for the vinegar to take on the citrus peels' smell! I let mine sit for 4 weeks.
Then after the time is up, take your jars, and use your strainer to strain the mixture into a container, whether that be a bowl or another jar to catch the vinegar, while the peelings and all of the pulp from the peelings gets strained off of the vinegar. This will ensure your spray bottle won't get clogged with orange/grapefruit/lemon pulp.
The strained liquid is now your cleaning concentrate. You keep this for when you need to refill your bottle of cleaner!
You then mix 1 part purified water to 1 part cleaning concentrate in your spray bottle, and it is ready to use!
I then store the remainder of the concentrate under my cupboard in this glass jar for when I need a refill on cleaner.
For reference, I use this cleaner on my kitchen counters, cupboards, stovetop, microwave, refrigerator & freezer, and kitchen floors. I also use this cleaner on my shower, toilet, window sills, and bathroom floors.
It does an amazing job of cleaning, puts my mind at ease knowing it is killing germs without killing me (ha!), since it is non-toxic and effective at sanitizing surfaces!
I recommend you try making this cleaner for yourself, or at the very least go check out Chloe at Boxwood Avenue for more natural & effective projects, products, and ideas to improve your life, your health, and your environmental footprint.
you are blessed. you are gifted. you are loved and appreciated, just as you are.
mindfully, molli
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