White vinegar is one of the natural cleaning products I use at home to replace toxic household cleaners. Mix it with equal parts of water, it becomes an all-purpose cleaner that removes grease wonderfully and disinfects effectively.
While it doesn’t smell as good as it cleans, vinegar actually has deodorizing properties, after drying up, that is. I have since learned a neat trick to transform my bottle of vinegar into a more pleasant smelling eco-cleaner, by simply infusing the vinegar with ….. orange peels! My family devours bags of oranges weekly, so I have no problem cumulating enough peels for this eco project. You can use essential oil too, but this is a cheaper method, using citrus peels that would otherwise be discarded.
I have since upsized my vinegar purchase to a 5-litre version which is way cheaper so that I can make this all-purpose vinegar cleaner in bulk, in 2 weeks.
What you need:
// Get the cheapest cooking vinegar you can get your hands on.
// Reuse an empty glass jar/plastic container, you can make as much or as little as you want. However, being a really effective multipurpose cleaner (except on marble, granite and hardwood surfaces), you may find yourself running out of it very soon if you make too little. I use it mostly on ceramic tiles in the kitchen, bathroom and glass surfaces.
// Citrus peels.
How:
// Fill the container with citrus peels.
// Pour vinegar to cover the peels and leave aside for 2 weeks. You will notice the color of the vinegar will turn dark gradually.
// Strain the peels from the infused vinegar which by now will smell more like store-bought orange oil cleaner. Store the liquid in a clean container, away from the sun.
To use:
// Mix equal parts of water with the citrus infused vinegar. Fill up a spray bottle with the diluted vinegar and use it as an all-purpose spray cleaner. Just remember to avoid marble, granite and hardwood surfaces.
// I use the concentrated version to scrub/ wash bathroom floor. Love the smell. And since it does not lather up like standard detergents, I need not rinse with a large volume of water.
