Citrus and Rosemary All-Purpose Spray: Natural Cleaning Recipe
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Spring has sprung, which means it’s time to clean out all of the nooks and crannies in your home and those long forgotten spaces that have been lacking attention since autumn. During this time of year, I am usually beginning to refresh my homemade natural cleaning supplies with new scents. Spring cleaning means that I am ready for delightfully fresh scents like lemon, grapefruit, and rosemary! Combined with the powerful cleaner and disinfectant vinegar, this natural all-purpose cleaning spray is my favorite way to clean the kitchen, bathroom, and any other non-porous surfaces.
harnessing the power of vinegar to clean:
Have you cleaned with vinegar before? I have been using vinegar as my go-to all-purpose household cleaner for over a decade now. Vinegar is wonderful for its high acidity level, which is mild enough to not damage fabrics and surfaces, but powerful enough to get rid of stains and deposits on surfaces. While it’s not nearly as powerful at killing harmful viruses and bacteria as a commercially produced cleaner, it does have some disinfectant properties. This makes it a great contender for creating your own homemade all-purpose cleaner. If you want to create a cleaner that is 99.99% effective at killing bacteria, you will have to consider adding an ingredient like bleach that has been diluted.
cleaning properties of citrus and rosemary:
For this all-purpose cleaning spray recipe, I decided to add some spring scents like lemon, grapefruit, and rosemary. These two ingredients are also beneficial for cleaning due to their own unique plant properties!
Citrus: While vinegar may not be strong enough as a disinfectant on its own, it can be combined with citrus fruits. These fruits like lemons, grapefruit, oranges, and limes have powerful antibacterial and disinfectant properties all on their own from their levels of citric acid and ascorbic acid. The oils from citrus peel also contain a natural non-greasing agent that helps to remove grease from surfaces. My favorite part is that they can remove unpleasant odors from fabrics and surfaces!
Rosemary: The herb rosemary, or Salvia rosmarinus, is also antibacterial, antifungal, and antiseptic. This acts as another all-natural disinfectant in your cleaning spray! Plus it smells incredible, in my opinion.
gathering supplies to make citrus and rosemary all-purpose spray:
To make this easy homemade cleaning spray, you will need to gather a few supplies! You will find that you most likely have all of these supplies and ingredients in your home already.
1 half gallon jar or 2 quart jars with lids and bands
saved rinds from about 4 to 6 lemons or the peel of 1 to 2 large grapefruit; do not use the flesh
8 to 10 sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 quarts distilled white vinegar
Distilled water, optional
directions to make natural all-purpose cleaning spray:
To make this all-natural citrus and rosemary all-purpose cleaning spray, the directions are fairly simple. In the end, all you need to do is mix everything together and be on your way to cleaning! Here are the steps to make your own homemade all-purpose cleaner:
Place the lemon rinds and rosemary into the jar(s). Pour the vinegar over the lemons and rosemary until they are completely submerged. Close the jar(s) and shake, if you feel so inclined.
Place the jar(s) in a spot that is cool and dark such as a pantry cabinet. Allow the vinegar to infuse for at least 2 weeks and up to 4 weeks before using. The longer it infuses the more strong the scent and cleaning properties will be.
Strain the vinegar and place it into a spray bottle. Keep the vinegar in a dark pantry cabinet in between uses. It should last for about 6 months.
This is a highly concentrated cleaner, which you may choose to use at its full potency. If you are cleaning a surface like stone or wood, dilute the cleaner by adding distilled water at a 1:1 ratio.
how to use vinegar cleaning spray in your home:
While this cleaner is considered “all-purpose” and is generally safe to clean most surfaces with, vinegar can be too strong of an acid to clean certain types of materials in your home. To use this cleaner, please read the instructions below:
To clean general surfaces in your kitchen, bathroom, and other rooms in your home simply spray the cleaner directly on the surface and wipe away with a clean, soft cloth.
DO NOT CLEAN: Natural stone surfaces like marble and limestone, sealed stone surfaces like granite, the tank of a clothes iron, electronic screens, hardwood floors, rubber, and metal. Vinegar can slowly eat away at these materials and cause damage. However, sealed countertops, stainless steel, and hardwood floors can be cleaned with this spray if it has been diluted.
DISCLAIMER: This is a highly concentrated cleaner, which you may choose to use at its full potency. If you are cleaning a surface like stone or wood, dilute the cleaner by adding distilled water at a 1:1 ratio.
final thoughts:
This is an incredibly easy natural cleaning product recipe that I have been sharing for years! Cleaning with vinegar has yet to let me down. I use this all-purpose cleaning spray to wash my wood and tile floors, windows, countertops, kitchen appliances, and several other surfaces. While the smell can be strong, I personally feel like it smells so much better than artificial cleaners. Though I now associate the smell of vinegar with “clean” - it’s definitely something to get used to. Enjoy making your own version of this natural vinegar cleaner.
xoxo Kayla
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