Let's Go Green....Or....Orange!

In the midst of the craziness of life and school (hence my terrible month long absence) I often find new things that inspire or challenge me in my life. Somehow the craziness lends itself to inspiration in new ways...go figure. Anyway, I have been doing a great deal of thinking and reading about what we put in our bodies. Not just food, but what we use around us. Specifically what we put on our skin or use in our homes. It is a little scary when you look around and think about all the toxic things that are just in our homes alone. With that thought in mind I started looking for more ways to go more natural. However, though I wanted to go more natural, I wasn't willing to pay an arm and a leg for it either. Thankfully, I happened to bring the topic up to my Mom who commented about a cleaner she was trying out. After looking it up myself I had to try it. Easy to make, cheap, and natural. Now here's your turn to try it!

For the original recipe look here.

Ingredients:
1. Orange peels
2. Salt
3. Vinegar
4. Water
5. Glass jars (I used salsa and spaghetti jars)

To start out collect a bunch of orange peels. I kept a bag in the fridge and kept adding to them periodically. Between my husband and I it didn't take long to get enough.

Ingredients...check! Lets make some cleaner!

 As you add your orange slices to the jars, sprinkle a little salt in each time. This is supposed to draw out the oils in the peels and make it stronger. Let peels sit in the jars for about 30 minutes.

 After they have finished sitting fill each container half way with vinegar and then fill it to the brim with water. Put the lids on tight. Now find a place for them to sit for 3-4 weeks. I let mine sit for about 4 weeks and that seemed the perfect amount of time.

Four weeks later and we are ready to go! Drain the very orange liquid into a spray bottle, discard the used peels, and you are ready to clean!

I use this as a general household cleaner, but mostly for counter tops, tables and my kitchen. As a warning it does have a semi-strong vinegar smell mixed with the orange, though it quickly dissipates after use. The original recipe called for several drops of essential oils that could be put in after the solutions sits for several weeks. I have not tried it, but I would assume it would cut down on the vinegar smell as well.

Overall I have really liked using this cleaner! It has worked well in my kitchen and I love the fact that it cost literally pennies to make (since all the ingredients are staples in my house). Though it takes awhile to create I think it's totally worth it. Also, since oranges are pretty much a staple in our house I always have several jars of solution going. Once I fill a jar I put the date on the top and store it away in my pantry. As a result I have a constant supply of refills!

Happy cleaning!