3 Ways to Make Organic Cleaning Sprays Just in Time for Spring Cleaning

The month of March marks the official start of the spring season, which means spring cleaning. Besides spring cleaning your body through food, you may be striving to live a more natural or sustainable lifestyle and that means ditching chemical-based, commercial cleaning supplies and creating your own natural DIY organic cleaners. Here are three natural ways to make organic cleaning sprays just in time for all of that spring cleaning. (Your kitchen will thank you).

Why you should make DIY cleaners

Wait, why should you make my own DIY organic cleaning sprays anyways? Natural cleaners do not contain the heavier, often more toxic ingredients found in conventional cleaners that can pose health risks – especially to those with allergies or underlying health conditions.

Plus, some of the more natural cleaners are just as effective as their synthetic chemical counterparts. For example, vinegar is fantastic, because it not only works very effectively at cleaning, but it is also a sanitizer. (Talk about a two-for-one!)

 

DIY Cleaner #1: Castile Soap

 

The smell of vinegar is mild in comparison to some other commercial chemical-based cleaning solutions like bleach, but some people simply cannot stand the smell of vinegar. If you are one of them, try creating a DIY cleaner using castile soap. It is just as effective as vinegar and bonus, no stinky smell! Here is how:

 

• Add hot water to a reusable cleaning bucket and add a ⅛-¼ cup of liquid castile soap.
• Gently stir the hot water and liquid castile soap together until they are thoroughly mixed and bubbles begin to form, but make sure you do not have a ton of bubbles. No need to throw a foam party.

A word of caution: Do not mix castile soap and vinegar together when cleaning. Feel free to use vinegar for cleaning and then castile soap, just make sure you give your surfaces a thorough rinse with clean water in between. Why?

 

If combined, castile soap and vinegar are not dangerous, but one is acidic (vinegar) and one is alkaline (castile soap), so they essentially cancel out each other’s cleaning properties. You do not want all of your spring cleaning power to go to waste!

 

DIY Cleaner #2: Lightly Scented All-Purpose Cleaner

 

If you do not have castile soap on hand and the smell of vinegar does not bother you, then you may enjoy this second organic cleaning spray option. This solution combines the cleaning power of vinegar with a fresh citrus smell.

 

• In a reusable spray bottle, combine one part water with one part white vinegar then add a lemon rind and rosemary sprig. If you do not have lemon or rosemary, use 15-20 drops of your favorite essential oil that is particularly refreshing like grapefruit, lemon, orange, peppermint, or rose.
• Shake it and let it infuse for several days then get your clean on. Easy!

 

DIY Cleaner #3: Vinegar Solution

Known as the do it all cleaner, vinegar is a natural cleaning option that is safe to use on almost all types of surfaces. The best part is, it is usually right in your kitchen pantry, so you will always have it on hand no matter what. Now you do not have an excuse to skip out on all that spring cleaning.

 

• First, fill a reusable spray bottle with tap water and two teaspoons of vinegar.
• Gently shake or swirl the bottle so the water and vinegar mix together. Do this until the solution is well combined. That is it!

Use this homemade vinegar solution on all of your home’s surfaces including bathroom and kitchen countertops, hard floor surfaces, sinks, and windows.

 

Enjoy the invigorating scent of your DIY cleaner and use it to clean trash cans, get rid of wall smudges, and remove hard water stains. Just do not use it on granite, as the lemon may cause etching.

Homemade DIY organic cleaning sprays do not have to be complicated. Grab a reusable bucket or spray bottle, search out some easy, all-natural ingredients you probably already have on hand, and roll up your sleeves for some spring cleaning using organic solutions. Happy spring cleaning everyone!

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