Images: Jenn Heller Design Co.
I‘ll admit that I am super excited for today’s DIY tutorial from Jenn Heller Design Co. Though I have to be honest that Andy does more of the cleaning in our house than I do (he stress cleans and actually LOVES to clean our kitchen … no joke), though I am usually the one buying the cleaning supplies on Amazon. It’d be SO NICE to make some of our own cleaning supplies, so I am pumped Jenn put together these DIY Household Cleaning Spray tutorials (a countertop cleaner and an appliance cleaner). CHECK IT OUT:
How to Make DIY Household Cleaners | By Jenn Heller Design Co.
Ah cleaning. Who doesn’t love cleaning? Oh wait – almost no one likes cleaning. The only thing I like less than cleaning is thinking about all the stuff in commercial cleansers, and how much I have to fork out for a single bottle of an eco-friendly(er?) version.
Get ready for a boost to your cleaning power, because these two sprays are a cinch to mix up, work wonderfully, will save you money, and smell awesome! Plus, they’re simple and free from all the crazy superfluous stuff companies add to their products to make their lives easier.
Generally, the supplies for natural cleaning come in quantities that allow you to make dozens of batches from the initial purchase. While you’re not saving money instantly, you will after a few batches and bonus, that’s one fewer thing to have to remember at the store.
General note on essential oils: they can eventually cause plastic to deform or corrode, which is why they are always stored in glass bottles. For this reason, glass bottles are preferred for these sprays. If you have a glass bottle with a threaded cap lying around like for bottled water or cooking wine, it will work great with a spray nozzle you can get from a home improvement store. If you want to buy the pretty bottles pictured in this DIY, I got these from Amazon.
Natural Cleaning Spray: All Purpose Cleaner
This cleaner is soap based, not vinegar based, so it is safe for all surfaces including natural stone countertops!
For each 1 cup warm water, add:
- ½ teaspoon Borax
- ½ teaspoon washing soda
- 1 teaspoon castile soap
(These ingredients should also be available at Target or other big box stores.)
Stir to dissolve the powdered ingredients, then pour into a spray bottle. Add essential oils to your taste, but my recommendation is 10 drops lemon oil and 2 drops of rosemary oil. Citrus oils help with cleaning, and both the citrus and rosemary oils have antibacterial properties.
For my glass bottles I needed 2 batches total.
Natural Cleaning: Countertop & Appliance Spray
Because this cleaner is vinegar based, it is not recommended for natural stone counters.
For each 1 cup warm water, add:
- 1 cup vinegar
- 6 drops citrus seed extract
Mix the liquids, then pour into a spray bottle. Add essential oils to your taste, but my recommendation is 15 drops eucalyptus oil and 10 drops tea tree – both have excellent antibacterial properties and a strong fresh scent to counterbalance the vinegar.
Don’t forget to visit my blog and download the labels for your bottles – complete with instructions right on the bottle!!
To attach your labels to the bottles, I used a simple method favored by home-brew enthusiasts: milk! Print your labels using a laser jet printer (an ink jet-printed label will run once wet!) and wet the back with milk. Carefully place the wet paper on your glass bottle and voila! It will stick fast almost immediately, so make sure you position the label carefully the first time. Smooth out any bubbles and let dry, and you’re good to go.
I hope you enjoy!
This post contains affiliate links that help make Capitol Romance DIYs possible. Thank you!
