I love making my own cleaning products whenever possible because they’re safer for your health and better for the environment. This DIY all-purpose cleaner is so easy to make and there are so many variations that can be made depending on your needs and preferences. I love using seasonal ingredients, so we’ll be using a batch of lavender that we dried to make an infused vinegar to add to our cleaner. Vinegar is the most common tried and true solution for basic household cleaning and can be used on any hard surface besides stone such as marble or granite. The natural acid contained in vinegar is tough on bacteria, dissolves mineral-based deposits and works as a mild antiseptic. Lavender on its own has many antibacterial, anti-fungal and antiseptic properties. It also smells great and is a natural deodorizer. This cleaner contains the benefits of both, and can be used in the same way that you’d use a store bought all-purpose cleaner. We’ll also be adding some lemon essential oil to the cleaner to up the cleaning power, since lemon also has great antibacterial and antiseptic properties. I use our all-purpose cleaner for everyday cleaning. For situations that require a stronger disinfectant (such as cleaning up after raw chicken) I simply follow the vinegar-based cleaner up with hydrogen peroxide, sprayed separately.

Materials:

This recipe will make one 16 oz bottle of cleaner.
– 1/4 cup dried lavender buds
– 1 cup white vinegar
– 1 cup distilled water
– lemon essential oil
– large glass mason jar
– 16 oz glass amber spray bottle (like these)
– funnel
– fine strainer
– label maker (optional, I used this one)

Instructions for making your DIY all-purpose cleaner:

Step 1: How to infuse your vinegar:

Pour the dried lavender buds into a large glass mason jar. Add the vinegar and stir. Close the lid tightly to seal the jar. Let sit for 7-10 days in a cool dark place. Strain out the lavender buds before using. I like to strain twice, first with a fine mesh strainer and then with a piece of cheesecloth. The picture below on the left was taken on the first day and the picture on the right is after 1.5 weeks of infusing.

Step 2: How to mix your cleaner:

Use the funnel to fill a spray bottle with a 1:1 ratio of infused vinegar to distilled water. Add 15-30 drops of lemon essential oil (depending on your preference) and shake well. Label your bottle (optional). Shake each time before using and simply spray and wipe. For built up scum, spray and let sit 5-10 minutes before wiping. Store your cleaner out of direct sunlight.