Cleaning With Herbs

Many herbs are antibacterial, making them natural disinfectants.

This all-purpose, environmentally friendly, non-toxic spray is excellent to have on hand for wiping, cleaning and deodorizing almost every surface [ except marble or wood ].

You may use fresh or dried herbs such as peppermint, thyme, rosemary, eucalyptus, sage or lemon balm.

Roughly chop 1/2 cup fresh or dried herbs and place them in a wide mouth glass jar. Slowly add distilled white vinegar to fill the jar. Cap the jar and leave it in a warm area to infuse for a few days.

Strain out the herbs and pour the liquid into a plastic spray bottle. This spray is perfectly safe and very effective to use full strength, but it can also be diluted with water for lighter jobs or when using it daily.

How to use the vinegar spray:

Add 1/2 cup herb vinegar to the final rinse cycle to clean and deodorize your dishwasher

Stop mold and mildew: Spray the surface, leave on for 30 minutes, then wipe off with paper towels.

Steam clean the microwave: Place 1 cup of water and 1/4 cup herb vinegar in a bowl in the microwave. Zap on high for about 5 minutes. Allow the water to cool, remove the bowl and wipe the inside with paper towels. Pour the water down the drain to disinfect and control odors.

Wipe kitchen counters, bathrooms, trashcans, handles, doorknobs, with the spray. No need to rinse. Leave it on for killing bacteria on surfaces.

 

Green Clean:

Baking soda: non-toxic, absorbs odors

Distilled white vinegar: grease cutting, mold inhibiting, deodorizing, and disinfectant

Lemon juice: mold inhibitor, deodorizer, stain remover, and has a mild bleaching action

Sea salt: mildly abrasive and disinfectant.

 

For a potent germ killer- make your vinegar spray with dried thyme and rosemary, 3 tablespoons each. Add to a jar, pour in distilled white vinegar, cap the jar, infuse for 5 days. Strain out the herbs, add liquid to a spray bottle.

 

Herbal essential oils can be used to disinfect. The following essential oils are also antibacterial and anti-fungal as well. Rosemary, eucalyptus, orange, lemon or grapefruit. Add 10 drops to a spray bottle, fill with white vinegar, shake and spray.

 

Blessed Be, Sweet Ones. Be safe and well in the days ahead.

~ Meadow Walker