Make your own natural citrus cleaning spray!

I love this homemade natural citrus cleaning spray. It’s so cheap, so simple, free of chemicals, it smells yum and work really well. What a star!

I found this cool idea for making citrus-infused vinegar on a friend’s Facebook status, who had found it here. I had to experiment straight away. After playing around a little, I came up with this all-purpose cleaning spray using the vinegar!

Citrus Cleaning Spray

This is what you need:

Citrus peels (orange and mandarine are best)

Vinegar

Natural dishwashing liquid (Kin Kin and Abode are my favourite brands)

Glass bottles or jars (with a wide mouth so you can get them out again – very important!!)

Spray bottle

Funnel

Large Bowl

Sieve

So, this is how you do it:

Start collecting your citrus peels in your jar.

Tear them up, squeezing as you go (I found this released more of the natural citrusy oils) as you put them in the bottle or jar.

Pour over the vinegar until all the peels are covered. You can add more citrus peels to this mix as you collect them too.

Secure lid and store in a cool, dark place for about four weeks. You can leave them longer if you want – they will start to ferment and you get the extra goodness of good bacteria.

Strain the vinegar.

You may need to do this several times if there are lots of pithy bits.

Look how beautiful the colour is – I used mostly orange and mandarine skins. The peels end up very mushy.

Now, pour the vinegar, using a funnel into a spray bottle. You can repurpose one you already have, just make sure it hasn’t had any chemicals in it or you wash it really well.

Next, add a good squirt (depending on how big your bottle is) of natural dishwashing detergent and give it a good shake.

Now, you are ready to use your own natural citrus cleaning spray.

I use it in the kitchen, in the bathroom, on glass…. anywhere that needs a good clean. You can also use it with bicarbonate of soda for really greasy or grotty stuff. Just sprinkle the bicarb and spray with your magic spray, give it a good scrub and rinse well.

As always, I would love to hear how you go if you decide to make some of your own.

Drop by and chat to me!

You might also like to read:

6 Natural Cleaning Tips Using Lemons

10 Zesty Lemon Recipes

Make your own natural antiseptic wash.

It’s seriously so easy!

All you need is ….. Tea Tree Oil ! I either use Thursday Plantation or Twenty 8 tea tree oil.

A few drops in some warm water ….ta da !! Your own antiseptic wash!! Use an organic cotton pad to dab on your cuts and grazes or soak the affected area.

How easy, cheap and eco-friendly is that? It’s also a little bit nicer than putting chemicals, which are in commercial antiseptic washes, on your precious children’s skin. Actually, it’s a WHOLE lot nicer !!

Tea Tree Oil is a bit of a wonder-oil. It has been proven to be a very powerful antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal oil. It is definitely one to have in the first aid kit.

Some interesting facts about tea-tree oil:

During World War 2, Australian soldiers were issued with tea tree oil in their first aid kits to use as an antiseptic.

To make tea-tree oil, it is steam distilled from the leaves of the tea tree species (Melaleuca alternifolia) a native to only a small region of northern New South Wales.

Indigenous Australians applied poultices of crushed tea tree leaves to cuts and wounds and inhaled the oil from the crushed leaves.

We also use tea-tree oil in a spray bottle of water every morning, sprayed liberally onto the hair, to prevent head lice. It also works well to clear up pimples – just dab a little on!

What do you used tea-tree oil for?