Spring Cleaning!

This is the time of year that I love opening the windows and clearing out the dust and funk of winter. Budget wise, cleaning products tend to be expensive and filled with chemicals. I wanted to share some of the homemade cleaners that work well to clean your home and save some money.

First off, I want to say that I do not make my own soap. I do not have the time, nor inclination and there are great and affordable one’s on the market that I buy in bulk.

Here is the list of products that I tend to buy to mix up into wonderful cleaners:

Dr. Bronners Sal Suds (a terrific soap with a balsam fir scent that can be used for dish washing liquid, laundry detergent, and a soap for mopping floors- order a gallon and get a discount!)

White vinegar — infused with various herbs and citrus fruits to clean windows and toilets

Baking soda — natural deodorizer

Citrasolv — cuts grease and removes labels and gunk

Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint & Lavender Soaps (or soap scent of your choice)

Various essential oils

Multi Purpose Scrub

1 cup baking soda

1 cup borax

1 cup washing soda

Essential oil of choice

Mix all together in a bowl and add essential oil. For this amount I use about 10-20 drops total. Store in a glass mason jar and use to scrub sinks, bathtubs, counter tops, and as a laundry boost for spied or stinky clothing and towels.

Bonus: Add Bronners peppermint castile soap to make a scrub paste for stains on surfaces, laundry stains, etc.

Vinegar

Distilled white vinegar is a powerhouse cleaner. It deodorizes and disinfects and it’s acidity can combat bacteria. Plain vinegar is not my favorite scent, so I infuse it with a variety of herbs and citrus. Some of my favorites:

Use your scrap lemon, lime, and orange peels
Sweet Annie (a lovely smelling Artemisia)
Mints of all kinds! If you have mints taking over your garden, this is a great way to utilize its abundance
Rosemary
Tulsi

Vinegar can be the base of several cleaners, mixed with baking soda to clean toilet bowls, or simply used as a rinse to cut grease on floors and appliances. Do not, however, use on marble or stone, as it can cause pitting. Stick to gentler soaps like Dr. Bronners.

Pine Cleaner

Gather about 2-3 cups of pine needles. You can also use balsam fir or cedar. Cut up and place in a half gallon mason jar. You can fancy it up and add orange or lemon peels as well. Cover with white vinegar and let sit for 2-3 weeks. It is best to use a plastic lid or place wax paper between the metal lid so that it doesn’t corrode. Strain, and if desired add essential oils. 10-20 drops should do it. Fill spray bottle about ¾ full and top off with distilled water. Use as an all purpose spray. I often add a tablespoon or two of Sal Sud’s and shake well if I want a sudsy cleaner.

Woodsy Wood Polish

If you have salves that need to be used up, you can use them as wood polish and conditioner! They are basically herb infused oil and beeswax, which is terrific for treating wood furniture and cutting boards. If you want to make your own, here is my favorite-

8oz jojoba oil

1oz beeswax

10 drops peru balsam essential oil

10 drops sandalwood essential oil (or cedarwood for a more economical option)

In a double boiler, gently heat jojoba oil and beeswax until beeswax melts. Take off heat and stir in essential oils. Pour into widemouth short jars and let cool. Wipe onto cleaned wood surfaces and let absorb. This smells so good!

I would like to touch on essential oils. Over the past several years, they have grown in popularity and even been used internally. I respect everyone’s health choices, but also want to share my thoughts on the matter…I love using essential oils in my beauty care products, house cleaning blends, and bath salts, but I use them gently. It takes a phenomenal amount of plant material to create a very small amount of essential oils. Most every essential oil has antibacterial properties so I never use them internally, as I am concerned about their impact on gut and microbiome health. As far as I know, no studies have been done on this. There is also concern about essential oil use around pets, especially cats. I have used essential oils on dogs, say for flea and tick repellents, but never on cats. Hydrosols seem safe for our feline friends, as they are very diluted. If you include these oils in your home, do your homework and proceed gently. I think they can be a wonderful addition to our health and home, but you know the saying: the difference between medicine and poison is the dose. Also, when using essential oils in cleaning products, I recommend switching up the oils you use or make a couple of different blends. Bacteria can become resistant to these oils as well. I love eucalyptus oil for its antibacterial properties and studies have shown it has anti strep and staph properties, a wonderful oil for wintertime bugs, but I don’t use it everyday. Maybe alternate with rosemary and mint or lavender and orange. Ted talk over.

Don’t forget the spiritual cleansing in your home. Burning various herbs, such as mugwort, bay leaf, rosemary, and other aromatics can make your home feel clear and light. If you don’t love burning herbs, you can make your own clearing sprays.

Happy Home spray

1 tbsp. Vodka

Distilled water

20- 40 drops essential oils

In a 4oz spray bottle, add vodka. Nest add essential oils. Fill with distilled water and shake well.

Use the oils that you love, the possibilities are endless. Some of my common ones:

Rosemary & spearmint

Lavender & orange

Basil & lime

Tulsi & lemon

Lemon eucalyptus & citronella

I hope this inspires your spring cleaning and brings some wonderful scents to your home. May your spring bring many flowers.
—Melissa