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 (any type is fine)
Vinegar
Natural dishwashing liquid (Abode is a fab brand)
Glass bottles or jars (with a wide mouth so you can get them out again – very important!!)
Spray bottle
Funnel
Large Bowl
Sieve
Four weeks
So, this is how you do it:
Start collecting your citrus peels. ( I am lucky to have 3 fruit bats living with me, but keep them in the fridge until you get enough).
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.
Give them some love with a shake every so often.
After four weeks or so, you can make your spray.
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 with wild abandon
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
What a great post…Love this idea…I will definately be giving this one a try. Thanks Sonia 🙂
this looks great – cant wait to try!
Hi NNMA 🙂 I found your blog by chance, big smile on my face now that I know who wrote this, lol! What kind of vinegar did you use? Thanks heaps, Jodi x
Thanks everyone for commenting… let me know how you go and if you like it ! Jodi, I use Palms Vinegar for cleaning 🙂
Palms vinegar.. do you buy it online or a health shop? haven’t heard of it before but there is so much good stuff i don’t know about yet…my challenge and my passion! 🙂
Hi Juliet – I just buy it at the supermarket ! 🙂
But is it white vinegar? I must try this!
Yes Lorry, white vinegar! 🙂
Hi Juliet – I use a really similar recipe but I also add in Washing Soda (sodium carbonate – note: not bi-carbonate) which you can buy at the supermarket laundry section. You might have to hunt around for it. Lectric is a popular brand. It makes the detergent work harder apparently so that you get more bang for your buck! Instead of using citrus peels, I just put essential oil in my mix, usually Eucalyptus, but I definitely like this idea!
I use my mix for everything – surfaces, floors, toilets – leave for 10 minutes then scrub & flush, mirrors & windows – stops them misting up. And you only need a little bit to do a lot of work.
Thanks for the Kin Kin referral – I will def check them out!
Well done for great work keeping your family happy and healthy – it’s not easy these days! 🙂
I have my citrus in a jar – i will let you know in 4 weeks how i go – i’m excited lol 🙂
Excellent ! Let me know how you go! 🙂
I made my own cleaning spray (a bit different recipe to yours though) and hubster complained, he didn’t like the vinegar smell. Does this one smell like vinegar at all or does the citrus mask it really well?
It’s more citrusy than anything! 🙂
Thanks – I’ll have to give it a go!
I will try this! Thanks!
let me know what you think Amy 🙂
I love that you talk about the dishwashing liquid having a flavour!!
ha ! you know what I mean 😀
Thanks so much for this recipe, it’s citrus season here and we have a surplus of mandarin and grapefruit peels so I am loving this idea. Always looking for Eco friendly cleaning ideas. I have one jar on the go already, can’t wait to see the end product. 🙂
Let me know how you go Claire!! We love it 🙂
Sonia I’m super keen to make this as I have lemon drinks every morning and really dislike throwing out the skins when I could be using them. When you say ‘store in a cool dark place”, I just wanted to know whether you think storing them in the fridge would be ok? I ask as I love in North Qld and mould is a massive problem up here for things left in the cool dark places due to humidity. What do you think? Thank you 🙂
Yeah do it! I live in Central QLD and they were okay underneath the sink but yes NQ in summer – fridge!
Cheers, thank you. I am starting today. Love your ideas 🙂
Jar one marinating as I write, can’t wait to use! 🙂
awesome – let me know how it goes 🙂
Hello & thanks for the recipe for this definately will be trying it …my question is do you think if i sprayed this on my front verandah & out door setting it would deter the cats as they hate citrus
I would be hesitant in case it ruins your paint work and furniture… the vinegar is quite strong.