Non-Toxic Spring Cleaning!
- No Footprint Left Behind
- Apr 5, 2020
- 3 min read
Spring has sprung! What better time to tackle spring cleaning than while quarantining at home? With the heightened awareness about the importance of disinfecting and sanitizing your living spaces, we wanted to give you some non-toxic & easy to make alternatives to harsh chemical cleaners. So many household cleaners are formulated with toxic ingredients that are known to have harmful long term effects on our body & overall health. All of these cleaning recipes require 5 or fewer ingredients, all of which you can feel confident about using!
An added bonus - they're also minimal waste! We purchased some glass spray bottles and handheld glass spritzers that we can re-use each time the cleaner runs out, instead of purchasing a new plastic bottle each time. You can also re-use an empty plastic bottle if you already have one!
All-purpose house cleaner
Makes 2 cups of cleaner
Ingredients
3/4 cup distilled water
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
30 drops of essential oil (we used 10 drops each of wild orange, eucalyptus, & peppermint...other suggestions are 15 drops each of lavender & lemon or 30 drops of Doterra OnGuard oil blend, which is formulated for supporting healthy immune function and cleaning purposes)
Instructions
1. Mix all ingredients together and pour into a glass or repurposed plastic spray bottle.
2. Yep, it's seriously that easy! May need to shake well before using.
wood Floor & Furniture Cleaner
Makes 1/2 cup of cleaner
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
10 drops essential oil (we used wild orange...other good ones are lemon, cedarwood, or arborvitae)
Instructions
1. Mix all ingredients together and pour into a glass or repurposed plastic spray bottle.
2. Shake well before each use.
3. Apply to a microfiber cloth and wipe wood surfaces clean! Recommended to repeat monthly.
Hand Sanitizer
Makes 1 cup of sanitizer
Ingredients
1/3 cup aloe vera gel (can be substituted for aloe vera water if the gel is unavailable)
2/3 cup of 190 proof grain alcohol
10-12 drops essential oil (we used oregano for its antibacterial properties, and wild orange for aroma, but tea tree is another great antibacterial, and any citrus oil will work just fine!)
Instructions
1. Mix all ingredients together and pour into a small 78 mL spray bottle.
2. Shake well before each use...the oils will settle to the bottom!
Yoga Mat/gym equipment Cleaner
Makes 1 cup of cleaner
Ingredients
3/4 cup distilled water
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar or witch hazel
5 drops lavender essential oil
3 drops melaleuca essential oil
Instructions
1. Mix all ingredients together and pour into a glass or repurposed plastic spray bottle.
2. Spray directly onto yoga mat, weights, or other equipment and wipe clean! May need to shake before using.
Garbage Disposal Freshener
Ingredients
2 cups baking soda
1 cup salt
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup unscented liquid castile soap
30 drops essential oil (we used wild orange, but any citrus oil works just fine...or Doterra Purify oil blend which is formulated to eradicate odors)
Instructions
1. Combine baking soda & salt in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add castile soap and essential oil to the mixture.
3. Add water 1 tsp at a time, stirring with your (clean) hands until the mixture reaches the consistency of damp sand. Be careful not to over add the water. You'll want to allow time for the ingredients to really work together, and you may not need all of the water.
4. Scoop out the mixture into 1 tbsp mounds and place on a piece of parchment paper.
5. Leave out to dry for 24 hours.
6. Store in an airtight jar/container until ready to use. Drop 1-3 at a time into the garbage disposal and turn it on with running water for a refreshing scent!
Links to the essential oils we used in this post:
Check out our previous post about essential oils and their other uses/benefits!
Commentaires