2 Ingredient DIY All Purpose Cleaner

It’s time for another recipe! It’s been a while. Since I moved out of my parent’s houses and into my own apartment with my boyfriend in Groningen I’ve tried all kinds of DIY recipes. Some things worked out great, others not so much. Today I want to share the first thing I tried to make and has been a huge succes ever since. It’s the first thing you want to make when you’re making cleaning products yourself: all purpose cleaner.

Why Do It Yourself

There are two big reasons on why I make cleaning products myself. The first reason is because I try to live as zero waste as possible. Most cleaning products are packed in plastic. And as you know, I try to avoid using plastic where I can. Even if the packaging is made out of ‘recycled’ plastic, has a cruelty-free label and is organic. That’s because there is a better option. DIY is better because it can be done zero waste while at the same all ingredients are organic. I don’t have to use plastic this way.

The second reasons is money. Let’s be honest. Organic, cruelty-free, packed in recycled plastic cleaning products are unfortunately still more expensive than the products which have none of those labels. If you make a non-sustainable product you can do it much cheaper because you don’t have for the negative externalities. I don’t mind paying more for sustainable products, but I only do so when I have to. I can make an all purpose cleaner myself for way less money, all organic, cruelty-free and good. So why would I then spend more money than I have to?

Also, I like things to be simple. And trust me, this is the simplest recipe you’ve ever seen. It’s the simplest recipe I personally use. The less ingredients the better in my opinion. You need less resources and so it’s more sustainable. And since the recipe is simple and I make it myself I know exactly what’s in the product. It’s not that I don’t trust companies who make sustainable products (but I don’t trust companies who do not make sustainable products). It’s just that I like things simple. This way I know I always have the right ingredients in my own house and can make the product whenever I need it.

Recipe

So, here it is, the simplest all purpose cleaner you’ve ever seen. This is what you need:

• Boiled Water
• Organic Vinegar

• Optional: essential oil or lemon peels

Yep, you basically only need two ingredients. And if you want to you can use three. First, 50% boiled water and 50% organic vinegar. You need to boil the water to make it totally clean. I just use tap water, zero waste and cheap. Then you add the other half, the organic vinegar. I don’t use cleaning vinegar but regular organic vinegar. I’ve read that it kills bacteria and fungi. It is important to buy the vinegar in glass to make this recipe zero waste. Also, if you’d like you can add some essential oils or lemon peels to the mixture for a nice smell. I did add a tiny bit essential oil to the mixture because my boyfriend doesn’t like the intense smell or vinegar. The essential oil masks the smell of vinegar a bit. I’ve read that lemon peels do the same but I haven’t tried this myself. It would be a cool way to reuse lemon peels of course.

How I Use It

I call this simple mixture an all purpose cleaner but that doesn’t mean I don’t have other cleaning products. I made a separate spray for glass and to remove lime scale. For everything else, I use this mixture. For the toilet, the sinks, the floor, the kitchen and just all surfaces when I need to (when a drinks pours over the table or such). So far I really love it. I feel that everything gets very clean. And trust me, I’m picky. My boyfriend can affirm this haha! It’s easy to make too. If you have vinegar in the house you’re always good. I bought a secondhand plastic spray can which I put the mixture in. I spray the all purpose cleaner where I need it and then I use a washable cloth to go over it. If I ever find a glass spray can in a secondhand store I will for sure buy it because I don’t like the fact that this one is plastic. But since the most sustainable option to buy something is secondhand I will stick to this for now.

Do you make your own all purpose cleaner? And what do you think of this recipe?

Yours sincerely,
Romee