All Natural All Purpose Cleaner

I know that this is suppose to be more of a dessert and craft blog but I can't help but throw in a couple of extras here and there so here I go!  

Those of you who know me are well aware that I'm a firm believer of the phrase "less is more".  Well, it may not apply to a couple of things such as chocolate, desserts, clothes, shoes, diamonds, and such : ) but when I grab an item from my local grocery store, whether it be a jar of food or a body wash, and see twenty-something ingredients on the back label, half of which I can't even pronounce, I immediately put it right back on the shelf.  Whatever happened to good and wholesome?  

When I was pregnant with my first born son Kristopher, I became THAT mom.  You know, the mom that obsessed over making sure that my home was as chemical free as possible.  Yes, I drove my husband nuts with all the things I wanted to do and wouldn't do around the house in fear of creating more toxins in our home.  And although I do realize that it is impossible to create the perfect environment, there are a few things I encourage everyone, especially those with tiny toes running around the house, to do.

For those of you who are ready for an easy to make, inexpensive, and all natural All Purpose Cleaner that smells "yummy" (not my own words but that of my three year old nephew) this is what you will need:

All the supplies can be found online but if you are like me and simply can't wait to get started, a trip to Target and your local natural foods store will do.  Here's the list:

• 16 ounce Plastic Spray Bottle
• 2 tablespoons Distilled White Vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Borax
• 16 ounces Distilled Water
• 1/4 cup Liquid Soap
• 10 to 15 drops Essential Oils 

Combine vinegar and borax in your spray bottle.  Add warm distilled water and shake, shake, shake.   Not you silly, the bottle!  Make sure that the borax is completely dissolved before proceeding to the next step to avoid clogging your spray bottle.   Add the liquid soap and essential oil and shake some more until the solution is dissolved.  Make sure to label your bottle.  Voila!  You are now ready to clean!

I occasionally use lemon, lavender, and tea tree essential oils to scent my cleaning solutions but more often than not I prefer to use eucalyptus essential oil due to its antiseptic properties.  Essential oils can be used to make many non-toxic household cleaners and disinfectants but just like anything else, keep them out of reach of little hands and mouths.  

Because essential oils are strong, I recommend the use of gloves to avoid irritating your skin.  Word to the wise, never mix the soap and vinegar directly together unless you want a clumped up mess.  Oh and while you're out there gathering your supplies, grab a pack of cellulose sponges to go with your all natural cleaner!

I'd love to give someone credit for this recipe but I don't remember exactly where I got it.  There are so many wonderful sites with other natural home cleaning solutions.  All I have to say is I love Google! 

And now that you have it on hand, next time you wash a load of laundry that may need an extra dose of cleanliness, add half a cup of Borax....

Enjoy!