Like all of us, my husband and I have become curious about the products we buy. Yes, we recycle, yet yes, we could consume a lot less too. It's a balance like anything. As parents we are also cautious about what cleaning products or chemicals we use in our home. Cleaners leave a residue on the surfaces they touch, and our son, as a baby, was a licker for sure.
It turns out homemade cleaners are easy to make, cost effective, and mystery free - we know exactly what goes into them. Are only questions afterwards were 1. why did we wait so long to try, and 2. what else can we simply make that we've become accustomed to purchasing?
Here are the steps for our most frequently used one: Counter Wipes
Start with cut up squares of fabric. I just used old clothes, yet if you wanted fancier ones a fun trip to the fabric store would do. Set aside.
In a large ball jar add:
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup rubbing alcohol
1/3 cup white vinegar (cleaning vinegar)
1 tbsp. dish soap (dr. bronner's)
10-15 drops of an essential oil of your choice
(I like lemon for the kitchen, and lavender for the bathrooms, your favorite scents will make the best ones though for you!)
Place a lid on the top and shake to mix.
Add in your squares. If I'm feeling organized I'll fold them into tiny squares and place them in, otherwise I just smoosh 'em, either way, they're great! Place the lid on, invert the jar and let gravity and time do their work. A few hours later they are good to go. I store them inverted under the sink.
** When you are finished with your wet wipes an important note is to have a separate container for used/dirty ones. You'll want to wash these separately. The rubbing alcohol and white vinegar could cause the colors to bleed in your regular wash. I also just like keeping cleaning wipes in one laundry batch, separate from wearing clothes incase other bits are on them..
Homemade Green Cleaning Products for Every Household Need - this is a great resource for learning more about what items you can create!