Squeaky Clean: All Purpose Cleaner Recipe

Lately I've had my eye on all natural cleaners. With more and more people wanting to be as natural as possible, its so easy to find something that fits your needs. But since I'm a compulsive d.i.yer, I figured, "heck, why don't I just make this stuff myself."

Of course one of my concerns with using all natural cleaners was their effectiveness. I just wasn't quite convinced that they are as powerful as those expensive, name brand, chemical filled products. Turns out they are just as good with the added bonus that they don't leave behind harmful residues and toxins that are bad for you and your family.

Just how harmful are these chemicals?, you ask. Well let me direct your attention toward a little documentary called Chemerical, available on Netflix. I watched this eye opener a few days ago thanks to the suggestion from my friend and ex co-worker, Michea. The documentary follows a family who has agreed to go completely chemical free. They started off slow, only replacing their cleaning products, and then graduated to replacing other things such as hair products and makeup. In the end, they were convinced to continue living chemical free due to the low cost, the easy preparation of cleaners and the satisfaction of knowing that their home was free of airborne toxins. 

I tried a few recipes I found online and didn't like them. (too weak) There were others that seemed to be effective based on the reviews, but I didn't have the ingredients at hand. So I combined a few recipes and came up with this all purpose cleaner:

Step 1. Gather All Materials

1 3/4 cups of water

1 3/4 cups of vinegar

2 tbl of baking soda

1/2 tsp of borax

spray bottle or other container

10 drops of favorite essential oil (optional)

Step 2. Mix Ingredients

In a bowl  mix the water and vinegar. Sprinkle in the baking soda and borax slowly; it'll bubble up.

Finally add the drops of essential oil and stir

You can get essential oils at most craft stores, but I was just there the other day and noticed they are all priced the same. Typically, if essential oils are truly natural, they would range greatly in price depending on availability and method of extraction. I get mine from Mountain Rose Herbs. I love buying all sorts of things from them. Do yourself a favor and browse their site. Some essential oils that would go great with this recipe are lavender, lemon, eucalyptus or tea tree oil.

Step 3. Fill Your Container

I didn't have a spray bottle, but I did have this nifty glass container. It holds about 18 ounces (2 1/4 cups) so I made the recipe for this size. You of course would have to change the measurements depending on the size of your container. Be sure to label it so your family doesn't confuse it with water.

Step 4 Enjoy

Shake the container before each use and use a rag to wipe down counter tops, cabinets, sinks, stoves, microwaves...etc.

I loved the way it turned out. It was cheap to make and it got the job done. I was a bit skeptical about using vinegar. I knew it would get my kitchen clean but I can't stand the smell. The essential oil I used, lemongrass, did a great job of masking the smell, and the smell of the vinegar completely disappears about a minute after using it. When I walked in after work, my house smelled lemony fresh. Try it out and let me know what you think