Homemade All-Purpose Cleaning Spray with Whole Herbs

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Use the herbs in your garden to create effective, germ-killing, cleaning solutions that are safe and potent. Homemade all-purpose cleaning spray uses whole herbs to create a naturally antimicrobial spray solution.

Many types of bad bacteria are developing resistance to antibiotics and toxic chemical products are proving to be ineffective in cleaning up the mess. But scientists are rediscovering what our ancestors knew centuries ago. Many natural herbs that you are probably already growing in your garden, are safe and effective when used as natural all-purpose cleaners.

Eco-friendly cleaning products

You may already be using essential oils to make DIY cleaning solutions at home. This is definitely a way to create your own eco-friendly products. Some of the most popular essential oils for cleaning include tea tree essential oil, thyme essential oil, eucalyptus essential oil, lemon essential oil, orange essential oil, and clove essential oil. These are effective against a wide range of bacteria and fungus.

To make a natural cleaning spray using essential oils, you’ll need:

40 drops (2 ml) of essential oil
2 cups of white vinegar
1 teaspoon of liquid castile soap (I use Dr. Bronner’s) to disperse the essential oil through the solution.

For the liquid portion of this recipe, you can also substitute 1 cup of witch hazel or vodka with 1 cup of filtered water as your liquid without the need to add a preservative to the bottle. If you make the solution with just water you’ll want to use the whole bottle within a few days or add a germicide, if you intend to keep it in a cupboard longer than that.

Garden herbs are effective against MRSA Bacteria

You can also use whole herbs to make your cleaning solution and omit the need for purchasing essential oils. Several herbs are effective antimicrobials that can be used in cleaning solutions. In fact, you might already be using them without realizing it.

Thyme, peppermint, sage, and pine have been proven in laboratory experiments to be effective against some strains of MRSA bacteria and other antibiotic-resistant bacteria. See this study and this study and this study for more information. In my research for a recent members-only masterclass, I learned that every area of the world has indigenous plants that are high in antimicrobial properties that have been used for cleaning by indigenous people through the centuries.

In my own region Red Alder catkins, mint, and wormwood leaves have this reputation and lab studies have demonstrated their effectiveness. Isn’t that interesting? In the Mediterranean area thyme, rosemary, and sage are used this way. Africa and Asia have their own plants as well.

Historically these herbs were used to clean the air and cleanse homes and public places. Herbs were strewn on the floor and people walked over them releasing their scent and cleaning the indoor environment of germs. After World War 1, salvation by chemical campaigns replaced these natural cleaners in our homes with bottles of chemical sprays that promised to rid our homes of bugs, germs, and dirt instantly.

We’ve seen over time that, in reality, these same toxic chemicals have caused the germs in our environment to grow stronger. Ridding our home environment of toxic cleaning products in favor of eco-friendly herbal cleaning products that can be made at home has several benefits.

Natural cleaners will save you money.
Making natural all-purpose cleaners will reduce the amount of plastic packaging you are sending to the landfill now.
AND as you can see by the scientific studies, they may even make your home cleaner and safer.

Homemade All-Purpose Cleaning Spray with Whole Herbs

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Author: Joybilee Farm
Prep Time: 5 minutes + 3 weeks infusion
Total Time: 0 hours
Yield: 4 cups 1x
Category: Herbs

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Description

This all-purpose cleaner is an herbal infusion that retains the water-soluble constituents of the herbs you infuse. It should be diluted before being used for cleaning.

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup of dried thyme, mint, pine, or sage (or use a combination)
2 cups of white vinegar (5% solution)

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Instructions

Place dried herbs in a 1-quart mason jar.
Cover completely with white vinegar. Infuse for 3 weeks in a dark cupboard.
Shake the jar daily or as often as you think of it.
After 3 weeks, strain the vinegar from the herbs and compost them.

To Use:

Place 1 cup of herb-infused vinegar in a 16-ounce glass spray bottle. Add 1 cup of water. Use as you would any all-purpose cleaning spray.

Notes

Other strongly antibacterial herbs can be substituted, so use what you have on hand. Dark herbs like cinnamon or clove may stain white countertops, avoid these if your countertops are light-colored

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Homemade All-purpose Cleaning Spray Recipe Using Whole Herbs

Yield: 4 cups of cleaning spray. (using whole herbs)

Ingredients:

1 cup of dried thyme, mint, pine, or sage (or use a combination)
2 cups of white vinegar (5% solution)
1-quart size Mason jar

Directions:

Place dried herbs in a 1-quart mason jar.
Cover completely with white vinegar. Infuse for 3 weeks in a dark cupboard.
Shake the jar daily or as often as you think of it.
After 3 weeks, strain the vinegar from the herbs and compost them.

This liquid is an herbal infusion that retains the water-soluble constituents of the herb. It should be diluted to be used for cleaning.

To use:

Place 1 cup of herb-infused vinegar in a 16-ounce glass spray bottle. Add 1 cup of water. Use as you would any all-purpose cleaning spray.

Note: Other strongly antibacterial herbs can be substituted, so use what you have on hand. Dark herbs like cinnamon or clove may stain white countertops, avoid these if your countertops are light-colored.

If you aren’t already growing any of these herbs in your garden, consider planting them for a continuous supply of herbs for cleaning, for culinary use, and for medicine. All are perennial. Thyme and mint are hardy to zone 4. Rosemary and sage are hardy to zone 7.

You can add a few drops of peppermint essential oil, thyme essential oil, or sage essential oil to the bottle for an additional intense uplifting scent when you clean. The additional essential oils increase the cleaning power of the solution and will help to supercharge the air with happy, uplifting ions to improve your mood and your energy levels.

Homemade All-Purpose Cleaning Spray with Whole Herbs

Eco-friendly cleaning products

Garden herbs are effective against MRSA Bacteria