So by now you’re probably thinking this is going to be a food blog and considering the number of recipes I’ve collected over the years it easily could be. But I have way too many interests to limit myself to one, and besides, with all that cooking you’re gonna have to clean up eventually, right? So today we’re gonna make my favorite all purpose cleaner. Since I noticed yesterday that my bottle was almost empty this is very convenient timing, I must say.
The last few years I have been trying to get rid of the potentially harmful chemicals in my house. The ones disguised as household cleaners are some of the worst. I guess that since we aren’t actually ingesting these products, the government has decided it’s fine for companies to sell them to us for a lot of money. Of course if you’ve ever sprayed one of these products on your counter you’ve noticed how much of it vaporizes into the air which you then inadvertently breathe in. And heaven forbid one of your kids accidentally does ingest some of it! Now you get to frantically call Poison Control and possibly make a run to the Emergency Room. No thanks!
This wonderful smelling cleaner has only 5 ingredients (well, if you count the essential oils as one ingredient) and it is safe for most surfaces. I have used it on tile, glass, marble, granite, wood, stainless steel, porcelain and acrylic.
So what’s in it you ask? Not much…
Water—this stuff makes up 60% of the human body and it is recommended that we drink eight glasses of it a day. Oh wait, wrong post. Sorry about that. For this recipe the water is just there todilutethe rubbing alcohol and the vinegar.
Isopropyl Alcohol—also called rubbing alcohol, make sure you buy it in the 70% solution. It kills germs and bacteria as well as cutting through dirt and grime.It evaporates immediately leaving surfaces streak-free.
White Vinegar—effective at killing most bacteria, germs and mold due to it’s acidity level. On the internet you can find hundreds of household uses for white vinegar.
Castille Soap–a true soap made with 100% plant oils (no animal oils like tallow) and no chemical detergents so it is biodegradable. I use Dr. Bronner’s brand.
Melaleuca Oil—also known as “tea tree oil”, cleanses and purifies the air and surfaces, protects against environmental and seasonal threats
Lemon Oil—cleanses and purifies the air and surfaces, promotes a positive mood and cognitive ability
White Fir—not only does white fir smell wonderful but it also supports clear breathing and respiratory function. Its aroma energizes the body and mind and who doesn’t need that when they’re stuck cleaning.
If you don’t like the smell of melaleuca or can’t use one of these essential oils for some reason feel free to swap for a different one. Most essential oils have fantastic cleaning properties and will do a great job in this cleaner. Just make sure you use the highest quality essential oils you can find. I only use therapeutic grade oils for their purity and potency.
All Purpose Cleaner
1 c. water
1/2 c. 70% isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol
1/2 c. distilled white vinegar
1 tsp. pure castile soap
10 drops lemon essential oil
10 drops white fir essential oil
10 drops melaleuca essential oil
Mix all ingredients in a 16 oz. glass spray bottle and label bottle. Shake well before and during use.
Note: I recommend using glass spray bottles when making recipescontain essential oils. That is because essential oils, especially the citrus oils, are not very friendly to plastic. Glass spray bottles will last forever and are a great investment.
