Some Cleaning Ideas...

I was relaxing in the tub and reading my All You magazine the other day (All You is a couponing magazine and has lots of fun tricks and tips for doing things well for cheaper - LOVE it!) and I came across a couple of pages with some recipes for cleaners. I started reading them because is one of my new subjects that intrigue me. Guess what? They include ESSENTIAL OILS in them! Wahoo! I was so excited to find that! This year, my goal is to become natural in my cleaning products. This includes making my own laundry detergent and cleaners and whatnot. So these few pages really caught my eye. So just as an idea for some of the recipes, here are a couple of them. These recipes are word-for-word from the magazine, then beneath you will find my comments about them.

Antibacterial Spray

*Use this germ killer on sinks, vanities and toilet seats. White thyme oil (or in this case, doTERRA's Thyme oil) although expensive, inhabits bacterial growth. *

Prep: 2 minutes Cost: $11.57

Yield: Approximately 18 oz (a 2-3 month supply)

Ingredients- 2 cups water, 2 Tbsp liquid castile soap, 1 Tbsp white thyme essential oil, 10 drops lavender essential oil.

Instructions- Using a funnel, pour water, soap and oils into bottle. Shake. Spray and let sit for 20 minutes. Wipe down surfaces with damp cloth. 

Toilet Bowl Blaster!!

*This recipe harnesses baking soda's gentle abrasiveness, vinegar's acidity and the stain-lifting power of the fizz created by mixing the two, plus tea-tree oil's antibacterial capabilities.*

Prep: 2 minutes Cost: 48 cents Yield: 1 cup, enough for 1 use

Ingredients- 1/2 cup baking soda, 10 drops tea-tree essential oil, 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar.

Instructions- Pour baking soda directly into the toilet bowl, add oil, then vinegar- in that order. Let water effervesce for several minutes, then scrub bowl with brush. Flush. 

 *doTERRA's oil is Melaleuca, not tea-tree oil. They are same thing. Melaleuca is great for killing off bad germs and infections and stuff. I really like this REALLY EASY recipe! *

Furniture Polish

*Apply this formula to clean and restore luster to wood furniture. It also may be used to help remove superficial water rings on wood tables.* 

Prep: 1 1/2 minutes Cost: 34 cents Yield: Approximately 2 1/2 oz.

Ingredients- 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar, 1/4 tsp lemon oil (or fresh lemon juice).

Instructions- Using a funnel, pour olive oil, vinegar and lemon oil into a 8 oz plastic squirt bottle. Shake well to emulsify. Squirt polish onto a microfiber cloth and rub onto finished-wood furniture. Always go with the grain and even distribute polish. Remove any excess polish with a clean cloth. 

*I do not use furniture polish because I don't have nice enough furniture to use it on. Ha ha! But it sounds like a GREAT recipe. If you use it, let me know how it works for ya!*

If you want more, I encourage you to check out this magazine. I know that our local library has this magazine to look at and I think even check out. Of you can try looking it up online at allyou.com If you are using natural cleaners, I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT! I am going to start myself a notebook soon and write all of these recipes down so I have them in one spot to quickly reference to them. So I'd love to hear your recipes. If you are using a natural cleaner, try adding some essential oils to them and I want to know what you think. I'd love to feature you on a post with your great information and experiences!