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Homemade Citrus Vinegar Cleaner
Found this great recipe in a file download from West Michigan Environmental Action Council *(removed pdf link, it’s no longer available). I tried it and loved it–here’s what I did:
Homemade Citrus Household Cleaner
- Fill a large, wide mouth jar with citrus peels (such as lemons, oranges, limes, grapefruits). Cover the peels with white household vinegar. Let brew for four weeks, shaking the jar occasionally (just to mix it up a bit). Strain (I did this twice).
- Use as a laundry booster (I just tossed it in with the whites), window cleaner, floor cleaner, counter tops, appliances (Dilute in water–1/2 cup per gallon of water works well). For a stovetop grease buster I just sprayed it on undiluted. Test surfaces first before using.
Tips:
- Before filling the jar, I made sure the citrus peels were scrubbed well in baking soda and water to remove any chemicals or pesticides. It’s a lot easier if you do this before peeling the fruit!
- To collect the peels, throughout the week store all the citrus peels in a baggy or airtight container and refrigerate. If your household doesn’t go through a lot of citrus fruit in a week, just chop up what peels you have and fill a small glass jar (or even spray bottle) with peels and cover with vinegar. To make a big jar like above, you need a lot of peels. You could try freezing the peels and then thawing the bunch when you have enough, I haven’t tested that though.
You may also like to try the Lavender Vinegar Recipes, some can be used in cleaning too.
Collect your citrus peels, there are so many great uses for them! Here are more ideas from past Tipnut articles: Quick Tip: Lemon & Orange Peels For Firestarters, Uses for Citrus Peels Plus Candied Lemon Peel Recipe, Enamel Cookware Stain Removal Tips, Homemade Potpourri 101.
Don't Miss These Tips:
- 27 Ways To Use Citrus Fruit Around The House
- Salt Packed Citrus Shells: DIY Air Freshener
- Homemade Oven Cleaner Recipes
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Sounds yukky.
I think I’ll try it for my self…
Could I use cider vinegar?
Hi Christense, cider vinegar can actually stain some things so I wouldn’t use it for cleaning purposes. I’d stick with white household vinegar.
I made this cleaner and I love it! I mixed it half and half with water and put it in a spray bottle. I have been using it for countertops, in the bathroom, and pretty much everywhere. The cool thing about it is that it does not smell really strong of vinegar – just a delicious citrus smell!
I have been using vinegar and water on my floors and carpets since we moved into our “new” house. I can’t wait to try adding citrus, my son keeps complaining about the vinegar smell. Thanks for the suggestion.
I LOVE the smell of citrus. I’ll definitely try this. I couldn’t get the link to the pdf above to work, so I did a search. (I’m a geek like that.) Anyway, here’s the new link. Green Guide
Thanks Nettacow, I didn’t relize the link was no longer working! The pdf you found is great (filled with lots of goodies) but I don’t see this recipe on it. I do have the details covered in the post though, thankfully.
I love the idea of a natural citrus cleaner to replace all those harsh chemicals, but how much should you use as a laundry booster? And would you use it diluted or concentrated?