April 2021

If you’re trying to reduce the chemicals and toxins in your life, one place to start is cleaning supplies. These represent some of the strongest chemicals you’ll find in your apartment. Contrary to what you might think, there are some natural cleaning and disinfecting agents that perform just as well as the ones with those harsh chemicals. And you can make them yourself!

Before we get into the specifics, there’s one thing to keep in mind. The shelf-life of DIY cleaners can be shorter than store-bought. They typically start to lose potency after about a month. So, if you decide to make your own, smaller batches are better.

The two magic ingredients in this cleaner are white vinegar and baking soda. Together, they make an effective cleaner for any hard surface. Since you might not want your apartment smelling like a salad, you can also add essential oils to the mix. They’ll provide a pleasing scent and additional disinfectant properties.

• ½ cup of white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of baking soda
• 10 drops of tea tree, lavender, or lemon essential oil
• Water
• 12 ounce spray bottle – glass is best.

Mix the vinegar and essential oil in the spray bottle. Add the baking soda and fill the remainder of the bottle with water. Gently shake to mix the ingredients and start cleaning!