Homemade Vinegar All Purpose Cleaning Spray

Making your own homemade all-purpose cleaning spray is super easy, effective and cheap! The high percentage of acetic acid found in cleaning vinegar or double strength vinegar is what you are looking for.

This helps to really cut through the grease. You can add different citrus peals to this recipe for different scents or add essential oils.

The reason you go for citrus is because of its ability to dissolve fat and cut through grease. Plus, it’s naturally antimicrobial and has an uplifting scent.

Cleaning sprays can be really quite toxic so making your own to go with your cleaning schedule is the best way to go!

The very first question to answer is what vinegar should you use when making your all-purpose cleaner?

What Type Of Vinegar To Use?

While there are many varieties of vinegars you ideally want to use certain ones for the best cleaning results. All vinegars are not the same and have different purposes and uses.

White distilled vinegar or cleaning vinegar are your best options as they have a minimum acidity level of 5 percent up to 8 percent!

The acidity is what makes it so effective at getting rid of grease, grime, mineral build up, bacteria and even moulds.

You don’t really want to use a darker coloured vinegar like apple cider vinegar because it can stain your surfaces and the acidity levels aren’t as high.

What You Need?

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Ingredients

1. Cleaning Vinegar or double strength vinegar: These vinegars have a high acidity level to them which is important if you want a good cleaning product.
2. Citrus Peels or essential oils: Citrus in general has an extra ability to cut through grease, smells lovely, and is great at getting rid of bacteria and mould.
3. Water: I recommend filtered water if possible.

Supplies

1. Glass jar with lid: Any glass jar that you like that has a lid should do for this recipe. Ideally you want something that is easy for you to pour once you’re done making your solution.
2. Strainer: If you are using peels you will want a strainer to seperate the peels from the liquid.
3. Spray bottles– I really like this pack of 4 as they are amber which is better when placing essential oils in, durable and come with stickers so you can label your bottles. Believe me you will want more than one spray bottle in your home!

How To Make Cleaning Spray

Making your own vinegar at home is incredible easy to do! There are 2 different ways you can make this recipe!

1. Save up lime, orange, lemon or grapefruit skins. You can use sliced up pieces of the fruits but the smell isn’t as crisp as it is when you just use the skins.

2. Once you have enough to fill up your jar of choice you are going to want to fill it about half way with your vinegar and the rest with water.

3. If you have a clean pebble, or a weighted object you can place on top of the skins to keep them down I’d do it. Keeping it submerged will stop any mould growth on the unsubmerged peels.

4. Place the lid on and let it sit away from direct sunlight for a few days for it to really infuse. I find after 3 days it’s ready to go!

5. Strain the peels from the liquid and place the liquid in a spray bottle. Make sure to label the bottle so you know what it is.

6. Store away from direct sunlight and use as needed.

Option 2 For Homemade Vinegar Cleaning Spray

1. Fill your spray bottle half way with your vinegar.
2. Add 25 drops essential oil in total, to a 500 ml spray bottle. Good options of essential oils for cleaning are your citrus oils.
3. Top the rest of the spray bottle with filtered water.
4. Give it a shake before you use it.

How To Use Homemade Vinegar Cleaning Spray

You can use this homemade vinegar cleaning spray in many different ways! Here are a few different ways.

1. Use it to clean the bathroom. It’s great at removing grease and dirt build up on sinks, around the toilet and bathtub.
2. Spray on the stove top and let is sit a few minutes to remove excess grease.
3. Spray in the trash bins to remove grease and freshen the scent.
4. Use on tile floors or the tile walls in the shower. Spray and let it sit a few minutes, then scrub to get rid of any grease, mineral build up and even mould!

What You Shouldn’t Use Vinegar Cleaning Spray On

There are some things that are not ideal to use vinegar on. Here are some items you want to avoid spraying.

1. Rubber items. The vinegar can slowly erode rubber parts.
2. Do not use vinegar solutions on natural stone like marble because it can stain and cause the material to start to disintegrate.
3. Don’t use cleaning vinegar on hardwood floor because it can get rid of the finish on the floors.
4. You don’t want use vinegar are stainless steel items or cast iron as it can corrode these items over time.