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Natural Household Cleaning Recipes

Many household cleaners contain ingredients that can be damaging to our bodies and the planet. My family really tries to avoid using those types of products, but the non toxic alternatives are often pricey! In this post I share some simple recipes for making your own non toxic household cleaners for a fraction of the cost.



All Purpose Disinfecting Spray:
I use this for almost all of my everyday surface cleaning. It's simple and kills most germs. 

-1 cup of water

 -1 cup of white vinegar

 -20 drops of your choice of essential oils (optional) 

 Add all the ingredients to a spray bottle (preferably a glass spray bottle) and shake to mix. Always shake gently before use. 

 For occasional deep cleaning of your household surfaces, I recommend hydrogen peroxide. My daughter and I did an experiment testing the germ fight abilities of various natural cleaners. Hydrogen peroxide killed everything. I don't use it daily because exposure to germs is good to an extent. It's how we build and maintain healthy immune systems. Being too clean can actually lead to increased illness. It's great for occasional deep cleaning though. You can check out the results of our experiment here.
Air Freshener Spray:
This is a safe non toxic alternative to mainstream air freshener sprays. Use it around your home to fight odors or just to make things smell nice.

 -1 cup of water

 -2 tablespoons of vodka 

 -15-20 drops of your choice of essential oils.

 Some of my favorite essential oil combinations for this spray are:

 -5 drops lavender
 5 drops sweet orange 
 5 drops cedarwood


 -6 drops sweet orange
 4 drops lemongrass
 2 drops tea tree

 -7 drops sweet orange
 7 drops clove

 -5 drops lemon
 5 drops ylang ylang
 5 drops sandlewood

 Carpet Freshening Powder:
Use this recipe to freshen your carpets.

-3 cups baking soda

-10 drops of your choice of essential oils

Add baking soda to a bowl and add the essential oils. Combine well using a fork. Store in an air tight container. To use, sprinkle over your carpets, let it sit about 30 minutes, then vacuum it up.

Glass Cleaner:

-1 1/2 cups of water

-1/4 cup of white vinegar

-1/4 cup of isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) 

Combine ingredients in a spray bottle and shake gently to mix. Spray onto glass surfaces and wipe dry.

Furniture Polish:
-3/4 cup olive oil

-1/4 cup white vinegar

-5-10 drops of orange or lemon or lemongrass essential oil (optional) 

Combine ingredients in an air tight container (I use a mason jar). Dab a little on a cloth and wipe down the wooden surfaces in your home.


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Comments

  1. UnknownMay 10, 2018 at 8:30 AM

    Thank you for this. I’ve been trying to make the switch from hardship chemicals to something more organic and natural.. not just cleaning wise but in life.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ClaireMay 10, 2018 at 11:03 AM

    Great recipes for someone who wants to have a more natural home. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jennifer MorrisonMay 10, 2018 at 1:06 PM

    I have never thought of using essential oils in my housecleaning, but I love the idea! I will have to give it a try.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brandy NicoleMay 11, 2018 at 5:10 PM

      Essential oils are definitely a good way to make household cleaners smell nice and they add some antimicrobial properties.

      Delete
  4. MarieMay 10, 2018 at 8:10 PM

    I love the idea of the air freshener spray!

    ReplyDelete
  5. MarieMay 10, 2018 at 8:11 PM

    I love the idea of the air freshener spray! I've pinned this so I can find it later.

    ReplyDelete
  6. UnknownMay 11, 2018 at 4:31 AM

    Gotta love that vinegar! Thanks for this!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brandy NicoleMay 11, 2018 at 5:11 PM

      Right!?! Vinegar is some awesome versatile stuff!

      Delete

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