Citrus Evergreen All Purpose Cleaner
Oh yea. That’s right. We’re not just getting festive with our chai tea, but also our homemade cleaners! How do you feel about them apples? Or in this case, evergreens. Heehee, okay, lame, but seriously—did you know that evergreen trees contain some awesome cleaning properties? Add those with lemons and a little vinegar and you’ve got an awesome all purpose cleaner.
What you need
You can almost make this for free. If you go forage for some evergreens and save your lemon peels from cooking and baking all you need is the white vinegar. And a little time. Truly that’s it! And once it’s finished you can dilute the vinegar solution down with water which makes one batch last quite awhile.
Evergreens to use
Pine trees probably have the most affinity towards cleaning than any other evergreen tree. However, spruce trees, juniper, and fir trees are other examples of evergreens that would also work well for this cleaner. I’m a huge advocate of using what you have and what grows near you.
Just please make sure you know what type of evergreen it is before harvesting. There is one specific evergreen that is toxic that I’m aware of (yew tree) and there may be others that I’m not aware of. Always always know what you’re harvesting! And of course, use trees that are not near any heavily polluted areas and at least 50-100 feet away from busy roads. Be sure the trees you use haven’t been sprayed with any nasty chemicals.
Citrus to use
Use whatever type of citrus you generally use in the kitchen. I use lots of lemons, so that’s most often what I use. But if you eat lots of oranges, save the orange peels! Or grapefruit, limes, etc.
Evergreen Citrus all purpose cleaner
Ingredients
Citrus peels
Evergreen needles
Distilled white vinegar
Directions
Fill a clean quart size mason jar (I prefer wide mouthed) with your citrus peels and evergreen needles until it’s about 3/4 full. Pour the vinegar over the top so it covers the plant material by about an inch. Secure tightly with a plastic lid and give it a good shake to agitate it.
Place the jar out of direct sunlight and let it infuse for about 2 weeks. Shake it occasionally to really encourage the infusion process.
And yes, you can certainly let it sit longer.
Once you’re ready to use it, strain off the plant material using a fine mesh sieve or old t-shirt and rubberband. Compost the citrus peels and evergreens, pour the vinegar into a spray bottle, dilute with water and it’s ready to use!
How to use evergreen citrus cleaner
I use a 1:1 ratio of this vinegar solution to water. In other words for every cup of vinegar, I add one cup of water. For tougher jobs you can use this mixture full strength.
This cleaner can be used in the kitchen and the bathroom. Just be sure never to use it on marble, limestone, grout, or varnished surfaces.
Some ideas for use:
Clean kitchen counters
Degrease hood fans
Window cleaner
Wash down toilet bowls
Clean showers, bathtubs, and showerheads
Sanitize garbage cans
Wash bathroom floors and counters
Benefits of the ingredients
Distilled White Vinegar
Vinegar is an incredibly useful product when it comes to cleaning. Not only is it pretty inexpensive, but it has some powerful cleaning properties. Vinegar is antiseptic, antiparasitic, antifungal, it degreases, neutralizes odors, dissolves calcium deposits, and is great for making glass and metals shine. Fun fact: according to a study by Colorado State University vinegar, when heated to 150°F, is as effective as bleach in fighting Listeria, E. Coli, and Salmonella.
Evergreen Needles
Most evergreen needles are great for cleaning due to their antifungal, antimicrobial, antiseptic, and disinfectant properties. Plus they smell great and help cover up that vinegar smell.
Citrus Peels
Most citrus peels (especially lemon) are disinfectants, great for deodorizing, and help to fight limescale.
Limitations
Please note that vinegar should not ever be used on marble, limestone, grout, or varnished surfaces. The acid breaks them down and can ruin them.
Never mix vinegar with bleach or sodium percarbonate—it causes a toxic reaction. Also never mix vinegar with castile soap as it will curdle and negate any cleaning properties.
WHERE TO PURCHASE
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