Natural Counter Cleaner

Last week I shared some of my favorite kitchen cleaners with you, but I forgot my favorite one! This is a counter spray, but unlike my all-purpose spray, it leaves a steak free shine and has another ingredient that is great at killing germs.

Most homemade cleaners contain vinegar (because it works so well!) but depending on the surface you may be left with streaks. This recipe uses rubbing alcohol because it is a great disinfectant and evaporates quickly to leave a streak free clean.

Lets talk more about the ingredients for a second.

Vinegar is a common household cleaner. Where you find natural cleaning recipes you will find vinegar. It is wonderful at getting grime off of surfaces, it is anti-microbial and leaves a great clean. Sometimes it still leaves some streaks, and people often complain about the smell of vinegar. The smell does dissipate quickly but if it bothers you try using apple cider vinegar. The smell is much less pungent and more pleasant, it has the same cleaning powers, but it is just a little more expensive.

Lemon Juice is a wonderful way to pick up stubborn stuck things off of counters. It has properties that help whiten and brighten anything from clothes to tiles, but is not damaging like bleach. Be sure you get your lemon juice from the lemon, or a bottle of just lemon juice. No sugar should be added.

Alcohol, as stated before, is a wonderful disinfectant. It is anti-microbial and evaporates quickly to leave the surface shiny clean. If you don’t have rubbing alcohol, cheap vodka that you wouldn’t ever drink is a great substitute.

Essential Oils generally are anti-microbial killing the nasty germs you don’t want on surfaces you touch, especially those you cook on. Citrus essential oils are especially good at lifting stuck on grime, oils, fats, stains, and other seemingly insoluble items. It effectively removes glue from a wood surface without doing damage. The smell is uplifting and leave that clean feeling in the home.

Ingredients:

24 ounce spray bottle
4 ounces vinegar
4 ounces lemon juice
4 ounces rubbing alcohol
8 ounces water
10-20 drops lemon essential oil (optional – I like the smell the lemon adds to it)

Directions:

Add everything to your spray bottle, shake, and start cleaning! It’s so simple!

Have a different cleaner you like to make at home or one you just can’t live without? Leave us a comment below!