The light, sweet smell of oranges mixed with the acidic smell of vinegar. I took a deep breath as I looked around my bathroom and saw my counter tops and mirrors shine….
Am I writing a ridiculous, romance novel about a bored housewife? No. Just cleaning my house with my homemade orange cleaner. If, like me, you are in charge of most housekeeping chores you just might understand why I get so excited when I find a new cleaning solution. I mean, it's kind of my job to keep the house clean and pretty. It's a job I signed-up for (because no one else who lives with me can actually clean to my high-standards) but it can still get pretty boring. To keep things entertaining, I love to find new ways to get the house clean, kill germs and make things smell pretty. All without setting myself off into an asthma attack and/or exposing myself and my family to harsh chemicals.
Since we are in the thick of orange season, I find myself facing down a never-ending pile of orange peels. To deal with the pile, I made Candied Orange Peels and a few weeks ago I mixed up some all natural, orange cleaner. It's really easy to make.
Supplies:
- Orange peels (lemon peels work too)
- Vinegar
- Glass jar with a lid
- Distilled water
Directions
- Place orange peels in jar.
- Pour enough vinegar over them to cover.
- Close jar and put into a cupboard for a couple of weeks. Shake it occassionally.
- Strain mixture into a clean spray bottle, filling the bottle 1/2 full (or half empty depending on your optimism levels). Fill the jar the rest of the way with distilled water. I use distilled water because my tap water is really ard and I don't need to leave hard water stains behind as I clean.
- Shake and spray
If you really want to get a citrus smell, add a few drops of essential orange oil into your mixture. I use this orange cleaner on my non-granite countertops. (Granite and vinegar DO NOT mix! You will ruin your countertops using vinegar on them!*) I also use it on my mirrors. When spraying your mirrors and wiping for the first time you will freak out as you see the streaky mess it leaves behind. Keep wiping! Preferable with a clean, dry microfiber cloth. Everything will shine up-at least it did for me!
*Both vinegar and the limonene (found in the essential oils of oranges) can be corrosive. You may want to test a small area of your surfaces before you start cleaning!
