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All Purpose Green Cleaning Solution
There is a trend towards environmentally friendly cleaning products, and did you know that you can make a green cleaner of your own at home? Here's a recipe for a biodegradable, non-toxic and effective all-purpose cleaning solution that will save you money.
Please Note: While this is a tried and tested recipe made in green cleaning workshops, always spot test any cleaning fluid before going all out.
Ingredients and supplies
- 32 oz. (around 950ml) spray bottle - try to use a bottle made from recycled materials, or is recyclable. We recommend #2 plastic.
- water
- White distilled vinegar. It should be vinegar made from grain or plant material. Believe it or not, some vinegar is synthesized from petroleum - yes, crude oil!. It gives a whole new meaning to fuel as food.
- Genuine lemongrass essential oil. Aside from helping to mask the vinegar odor (which dissipates naturally anyway as soon as it is sprayed), lemongrass has anti-bacterial properties. For increased disinfecting power, you can use Tea Tree oil which also has anti-viral and anti-fungal properties.
- Earth friendly dishwashing liquid. This can be found in just about any supermarket. The dishwashing liquid is necessary to clean mirrors and glass streak-free where commercial glass cleaners have been used previous. Many commercial window/glass cleaners have chemicals of a waxy nature in them; so when you switch to vinegar/water, there will be streaking unless you have the dish detergent in your cleaner. Once that build-up is gone, dishwashing liquid isn't necessary.
Method
- Fill bottle half with water
- Top it up with white distilled vinegar, but leave a little room for the additional ingredients and for shaking
- Add 10-14+ drops lemongrass essential oil.
- Add 2-3 drops of the earth friendly dishwashing liquid.
- Cap and shake. There should be a thin layer of foamy bubbles at the top - but not too many.
- Label container clearly. Shake before using and store out of direct sunlight.
Uses:
Windows, mirrors, floors, some carpet/clothing/upholstery stains, chrome, as a rinse after using baking soda, cleaning stainless steel and porcelain, to clean toilet area. Also cleans car windows/mirrors, door handles, and much more. It can even be used as a hand cleaner.
Important notes:
Do not use vinegar on marble. Before you use the cleaner on glass and mirrors that have been previously cleaned with commercial products, we recommend washing the surface with warm soapy water once to remove any wax build-up that can otherwise cause streaking.
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