A Fresh Start: DIY All-Natural Orange Vinegar Cleanser

Spring is just around the corner, but winter still lingers for a few more weeks. This transitional period offers the perfect opportunity to prepare and dream—making now the ideal time to plan for sprucing up your home. 

Shannon, one of Una’s Maker Mavens, has created a simple yet powerful DIY cleanser recipe along with a guide to essential oils that will elevate your cleaning routine. Let’s dive in!

The Inspiration Behind This Recipe

Coming from a culinary background, I am familiar with the urge to clean, declutter, and organize that hits in early spring. In restaurants, this is done about every three to six months. These deep cleanings were two to three days of scrubbing greasy ovens and stove tops, soaking grimy hood ventilation filters, sweeping behind dusty refrigeration units, and wiping the tops, sides, and undersides of basically every surface in the kitchen. We even wiped down the walls…

Commercial kitchens generally use harsh, caustic chemical cleaners and degreasers that would absolutely burn my skin if I wasn’t careful! Breathing in the toxic, eye watering fumes was hard to avoid. It wasn’t pretty and absolutely questionable for anyone's health and safety. However, these cleaners did perform wonders on almost every surface. Commercial and industrial cleaning products commonly contain one powerful cleaning agent, citrus solvent. Made of concentrated citrus peel extract, it has the ability to cut through the toughest grit and grime.

These super concentrated and toxic cleaners are (thankfully) not sold to the general public. Even well known name brand cleansers contain some potentially hazardous substances that are not optimal for our health and everyday use. In searching for less harmful but powerful cleansers for my home, I found myself scanning the cleaning aisle looking for products with orange oil extract in them. It later dawned on me that an orange oil vinegar extract with more pleasant smelling essential oils could be made at home! 

Why Essential Oils?

Essential oils are another form of concentrated and potent plant extracts that are commonly used in Aromatherapy and can be inhaled to gain their array of benefits. Many essential oils contain compounds that are ideal for boosting the effectiveness of household cleaners. Depending on the plants' make up, these compounds contain properties that even can help fight bacteria and viruses.  

At Una Biologicals, we love offering all-natural alternatives to chemical-laden products. Below is a guide to essential oils that not only boost your DIY cleanser’s cleaning power but also bring uplifting aromatherapy benefits to your home.

Essential Oils & Their Benefits

• Lemon - An aerial antiseptic with additional antiviral properties. Lemon's refreshing scent can also help to sharpen focus while bringing an uplifting sense of clarity.
  
  
• Lavender - Derived from the latin word lavare ("to wash"), it can be calming and stabilizes the emotional heart. 
  
  
• Rosemary - A common culinary herb that contains anti-fungal properties. Rosemary's woodsy scent gives strength to the heart and mind, giving a boost to self confidence and a renewed sense of empowerment.
  
  
• Clary Sage - Derived from the word sclarea ("to clear"), clary sage has anti-fungal and anti-infectious properties. Its herbaceous scent can help to bring about a sense of clarity and grounding.
  
  
• Pink Grapefruit - Another aerial antiseptic choice, grapefruit helps to ease feelings of frustration and moodiness by lifting your spirits with its bright scent.
  
  
• Eucalyptus - Known for its affinity in opening congested noses and lungs, Eucalyptus essential oil also contains antifungal and anti-infectious properties. The resinous scent of green leaves help to invigorate the senses and restore a sense of positivity. 
  
  
• Tea Tree - A well known essential oil with antiviral, anti-infectious, and anti-fungal properties. Its stimulating scent helps to enforce a sense of stability and strength.
  
  
• Bandits - A traditional powerhouse blend for fighting germs and bacteria, this formula contains many of the essential oils mentioned above. Bandits has a crisp and spicy aroma of clove, lemon, eucalyptus, rosemary and cinnamon. 

Properties of listed essential oils:

Aerial Antiseptic: Describes the action of reducing airborne bacterial and other microorganisms.

Antibacterial: Reduces bacteria by preventing its ability to spread and grow.

Anti-fungal: Prevents fungal growth.

Antimicrobial: Prevents and/or kills microorganisms.

Anti Infectious: A broad term pertaining to the reduction of microorganisms.

Antiviral: The action of reducing viruses in particular by preventing their growth.

DIY All-Natural Orange Vinegar Cleaner

This all natural orange vinegar recipe can be used for your everyday light cleaning needs like wiping down high-touch surfaces, stoves, sinks, and mopping. Keep in mind that most surfaces in a commercial kitchen are stainless steel and the ingredients in the recipe below may not be appropriate for cleaning everywhere in your home. Be sure to test a small inconspicuous patch of the surface you plan to clean regularly with this recipe, especially those made of marble, stone, and granite. 

Ingredients:

• Orange peels (enough to fill a jar at least halfway)

• White vinegar

• 4-20 drops of your chosen essential oil

Supplies:

• (2) 16 oz - 1 quart mason jars with lids

• Plastic lid or canning jar lid with parchment paper (to prevent rusting)

• Strainer

• Funnel

• Bowl or measuring cup

• Glass spray bottle

• Labels

Instructions:

1. Prepare Your Peels: Clean and remove any stickers from your oranges. Peel the skins, reserving the fruit for snacking.

2. Fill the Jar: Tightly pack the orange peels into a clean mason jar.

3. Add Vinegar: Pour vinegar into the jar, ensuring that all peels are submerged.

4. Seal & Store: Cover with a parchment-lined lid and let sit in a cool, dark place for 2-3 weeks. The vinegar will begin to take on an orange hue.

5. Strain the Mixture: After 2-3 weeks, strain the vinegar into a bowl or measuring cup and discard the used peels.

6. Bottle It Up: Transfer the infused vinegar into a clean mason jar for future use.

7. Create Your Cleaning Solution: If mixing into a spray bottle, use a 1:1 ratio of orange vinegar and water. Add 4-20 drops of your chosen essential oil for an extra boost.

That’s it! You now have an effective, great-smelling, and eco-friendly cleaning vinegar that’s perfect for everyday household cleaning. Enjoy the fresh, uplifting aroma of citrus while keeping your home sparkling clean.

Happy Spring Cleaning! 🌿✨