Back in the spring of 2021 I changed up a lot of the products I use in my home and on my body. I’ve since shared about how I started making my own laundry soap, as well as my dishwasher detergent that works with hard water (fun fact: this is the most popular post in my blog’s history!) In addition to those items, I also try to clean with as few “chemical heavy” products as possible. I still use traditional cleaning products to clean my bath tub, toilet and bathroom sink, but I’d love to find an alternative one day.

For the last three years I’ve been using a nontoxic cleaner that’s super easy to make, cheap, and that works great. While I mostly use this cleaner in my kitchen and for cleaning along baseboards, it could probably be used for other items such as bathroom fixtures.

I decided to make this switch to save money in addition to reducing the amount of chemicals in my household. The cleaner is so easy to make, it’s literally two ingredients: citrus peels and white vinegar.

Since I don’t buy citrus all the time, whenever I use a lemon for a recipe, like adding it to chicken marinade, or when I buy a bag of oranges for a snack, instead of throwing the peels away, I toss them in a plastic zipper bag I keep in my freezer. Then when I need to make some cleaner, I take out some peels, place them in a jar and cover with white vinegar.

I tuck the jar away in the cabinet located under my sink and let it sit for at least four to six weeks, but typically it sits under there for several months. If you don’t like the smell of vinegar, then the key here is to let the jar sit for a longer period of time, like three to four months. I have found when I let the orange and lemon peels soak for that amount of time the cleaner smells citrusy with a hint of vinegar.

Once the cleaner has sat for the amount of desired time, you will want to pour the liquid into a spray bottle. You can also dilute it slightly with water, if you’d like. I usually fill the bottle three-quarters of the way and then top with some water. I am pretty sensitive to the scent of vinegar, and I find in addition to the longer soaking time, adding a little water helps with the smell.

However, if you don’t have the nose of a bloodhound (as I do), you can skip this part. Or, upon your first use, try pouring a small amount into the spray bottle and give it a few squirts to see how it smells to you and adjust from there.

I hope this post helps you in your quest to use less chemicals in your home, as well as saving you money in the process!