After making the decision to embrace a more natural lifestyle, my first step was paying attention to what was in my food. The next step was trying to find ways to eliminate certain chemicals from the home ala cleaning products. My first instinct was to make DIY versions of everything. There were tons of recipes on Pinterest and I loved the idea of laundry only costing me $.03 per load (as the pin promised). This good intended and thrifty notion ended up costing me about $100 at Wal-Mart and resulted in multiple loads of not clean dishes and a powdery mess in my washing machine. All I had to show for my work was two bags of wasted baking soda and an over-sized box of Borax with no purpose. Fast forward about nine years and finding healthy cleaning options (that actually clean) is a task that I’m still working on. The great thing is that there is a plethora of “natural” products and the bad thing is that there is a plethora of “natural” products. As I learned with the food industry, the term “natural” is thrown around and really doesn’t mean anything except that it’ll cost you a few extra bucks.
Luckily, I have discovered a resource that makes my search for products easier. The Environmental Working Group offers a database of cleaning products that they have rated based on their ingredients. They provide a rating of A through F based on concerns of allergies, toxicity, cancer risk, and environmental impact. They have over 2500 product ratings, so while this is far from every cleaning item out there it’s a good start! FIY, I’m not being paid to mention their site. It’s a tool that I use constantly and highly recommend to anyone trying to clean up their cleaning supplies!
So back to the debate of DIY vs store bought, I currently go with more store bought but have found a few homemade recipes that I have been using for several years. I will break down my preferences for purchased items in part two.
Counter Top Cleaning Spray:
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- Citrus Peels
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- White Vinegar
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- Large Glass Jar with Lid
- Glass Spray Bottle
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Any citrus peel will work. I used lemons after making a large batch of lemonade. Place as many peels as will fit comfortably in your jar. Pour in enough vinegar to cover the peels. Seal the jar and place is in a dark cool spot for about 2 weeks. Strain the peels out of the jar and pour the liquid into a spray bottle. Fill the remainder of the bottle with water. Use this for non-porous surfaces only.
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**Update: I now use doTERRA’s On Guard Cleaner Concentrate to clean my counters. You just add 2 Tbsp of the mixture to a 24oz glass spray bottle and then fill with water. It’s beyond simple, completely non-toxic, and works great!
Dusting Spray
- 1 Cup Fractionated Coconut Oil
- 15 Drops Lavender Essential Oil
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Pour the coconut oil into a ramekin or small bowl. Drip in the essential oil of your choice; lemon or lavender work great. Using a lint-free rag (or a cut-up pillow case) use a small amount of the oil and rub onto the furniture. You could also keep this mixture in a bottle with an eye-dropper for extended use.
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Glass Cleaner:
- 1/2 Cup Vinegar
- 2 Cups Warm Water
- 8 Drops Lemon Essential Oil
- Glass Spray Bottle
- Combine all ingredients and pour into the spray bottle. Shake and spray onto glass surface. It may take more than one application the first time to remove any leftover residue from the previous cleaner.
**Update: You can use the doTERRA On Guard Cleaner for your glass as well 🙂 Just make sure you get your cleaner to water ratio right to avoid any film residue.
I’d love to hear about any additional recipes that you’ve had success with!
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