Your Product Line #2: Making Your Own Home Cleaners

Let’s get it out: I don’t like to clean. Really. Some people love to clean. They like to scrub and fold laundry and vacuum (okay, I like to vacuum…vroom vroom!). I don’t know…I just find it dull. I have other things to do…you know, like yoga or running (in a perfect universe) or…watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Don’t hate.

But I think I found an outlet. I made home cleaning interesting. It started with a book I got because I wanted to learn some natural pain management:

The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy by Valerie Ann Worwood

It really is a complete book! It’s written very well and I just kept reading through chapters on pain  management, first-aid, perfumery and home cleaning. Some cool things:

• Lavender oil can be used not only for its calming properties, but for anti-bacterial and anti-septic as well
• Peppermint oil deters ants
• Tea Tree oil has anti-fungal properties
• Thyme (and Oregano) are powerfully antibacterial, even when diffused in air

Those are just the “common” ones used in cleaning. Cool, huh?

I decided to make cleaning a creative project—how about making my own cleaners? I took advice from the Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy and various Internet sites. Here’s what I did:

Funnel, Borax, Spray Bottle, Natural White Vinegar

Tea Tree Oil, Thyme Oil, Eucalyptus, Lemon

First off: make sure your vinegar is natural–Heinz is a good brand. I just found out that some cheaper vinegars are made from petroleum, not fermented plant matter. Watch out! You can find Borax at your grocer or home improvement store.

Extra-Strength All Purpose Cleaner (for a 32 oz. spray bottle)

• 2 tbsp borax
• 1 c. white vinegar
• 3 c. water
• 5 drops each: Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Thyme and Lemon oil
• Mix together and shake! You can add citrus (orange or lemon) for grease fighting properties and lavender for scent and antibacterial properties.

Total cost (1 time):

1 lb. box of Borax: $4.50

1 gallon white vinegar: $2.00

1 set funnels: $2.00

1 garden spray bottle: $2.00

.5 oz Eucalyptus oil: $2.50

.5 oz Tea Tree oil: $5.25

.5 oz Thyme oil: $16.00

.5 oz Lemon oil: $5.75

Total upstart cost: $40.00

How many times could you use it?! Who knows? You’d have supplies for counter sprays, all purpose cleaners, carpet cleaners, disinfectants for who knows how long. Prices for the oils are sourced from Mountain Rose Herbs and they are organic.

Be careful with the essential oils. Just because they’re plant oils doesn’t mean they’re benign. Don’t let them get on your skin undiluted as it may cause rash. Remember that your skin transfers whatever touches your skin to your blood stream.

A note on expense and organic essential oils: This cleaner can be made without essential oils and it would be effective. It is your basic cleaning agent. However, the essential oils add different cleaning properties as well as a lovely herbaceous scent.  Quality oils are expensive and organic are more so. But look at it this way: each .5 oz bottle is approximately 300 drops! If you buy organic essential oils they can be used for cleaning, bath & body, perfumery and medicinal purposes. So—invest. Start with lavender, which is the most all purpose oil there is and then ease into tea tree, eucalyptus, peppermint, thyme and lemon. From there…well! Personally I can’t wait to get some sandalwood, myrrh, pine and rose. Of course…rose oil is $395 for .5 oz!

I hope I made making your own cleaner seem accessible, because it really is. It’s a fun and creative way to clean that doesn’t take any longer than pulling out some 409—plus, it’s non-toxic and natural, with the ultimate quality control—you!

I can’t wait to order from Mountain Rose Herbs. Click on the link—it’s a neat site that is CHOCK full of information about herbs, essential oils and everything else you ever might need to know about making your own home cleaning and body products.