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Save More, Shop Smart Get your house sparkling clean for holiday guests—without the chemicals in many store-bought products—by making these simple, great-smelling cleaners. You’ll save a bundle over the long run, too. Read full article
Get your house sparkling clean for holiday guests—without the chemicals in many store-bought products—by making these simple, great-smelling cleaners. You’ll save a bundle over the long run, too.
By Susannah Felts
Kitchen And Bath Surface Disinfectant/Cleaner
In a spray bottle, mix one part white vinegar, three parts water, and 5 to 7 drops of an essential oil of your choice from your local health food store. Lemon and lavender oils are popular scents—and have the added bonus of being naturally antibacterial and antifungal; thyme and lemongrass oils are also good for disinfecting. Can’t decide? Go ahead and blend a few essential oils to get your perfect scent.
Stainless Steel Cleaner
No mixing required! Simply rub stainless surfaces with a cloth dampened with a small amount of olive oil. Then repeat with another cloth dampened with white vinegar.
Tub And Toilet Scrub
Mix baking soda, castile soap (available at health food stores), and 5 to 10 drops of essential oil in a lidded jar. (A recycled glass jelly jar is perfect.) The proportion of baking soda to castile can vary, but you want the mixture to be a thick paste. If the mixture hardens over time, add more castile soap.
Window Wash
In a spray bottle, mix ¼ cup white vinegar, ½ teaspoon castile soap, 2 cups water, and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Shake to blend.
Wood Polish (not intended for floors)
Combine two parts olive oil with one part lemon juice. Apply and wipe with a soft cloth. (In a pinch, olive oil works by itself, too.)
Tile Floor Cleaner
Dissolve ¼ cup baking soda in 1 gallon of hot water. Add ½ cup white vinegar and 5 drops lavender essential oil (or more, if preferred).
Susannah Felts also writes for Health, Spry, Parents.com, and other magazines and web sites.
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