Natural Multi-Purpose Cleaner

At the start of all this, trying to learn to cook for my family without corn, soy and dairy (the most difficult foods to remove from our diets) was such an overwhelming task, that it's taken me well over a year to accept the fact that Makayla is absolutely reacting to environmental triggers as well.

After a few recent undeniable, and obvious reactions to environmental riggers like perfumes, hairspray and cleaners, we've decided to start making to move to chemical free cleaning in our home.  Yesterday was our first go-round with a homemade vinegar based multi-purpose cleaner.

The Recipe:
10oz Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar (Distilled white vinegar is derived from corn)
10oz Distilled Water
Orange or Lemon Peels

I filled a large mason jar with orange and lemon peels a few weeks ago.  I think about three oranges and three large lemons worth, and then covered them in the ACV and let them soak for several weeks, until the peels looked obviously pickled.

I noticed a lot of orange and lemon pulp floating around the jar, so I used a coffee filter to strain the ACV solution into a new mason jar, before adding it to my spray bottle with the water.

The Review:
I was hesitant about this from the start.  I like to see my cleaners work.  I don't like to use a lot of elbow grease.  And, anyone who knows me knows I hate the smell (and taste, for that matter) or vinegar!

I used it on my kitchen counters.  On my stove.  On my LCD television screen.  On the bathroom sink.  On my walls.  And on my wood furniture!

Well, I'm happy to report that you can see the solution working!  And, using it required very little elbow grease, if any at all.  It pulled up coffee and wine stains, with one easy wipe.  Added a sparkle to my stove that I've not seen since moving to this house almost two years ago.  It even lifted off all those pesky toddler finger marks form the doors and walls that the other cleared just sort of smeared around.

As for the smell, I felt pretty good about it.  It did have a vinegary odor to it, but I felt that the orange and lemon sents cut through to neutralize it, and that once it evaporated, it was really a non-issue.  The hubs however is still out.  I knew them moment he walked in the door and wrinkled his nose that I wasn't fooling him.  I think with my next batch I'll try adding some essential oils.  More lemon or orange?  Or maybe something minty?  I open to suggestions if you've got them!

The Final Word:
All in, all, I'm a happy camper.  This cleaner is just as good, if not better than all the Windex, 409, and Mr. Clean I've been using for the past 15 years.  I'll keep using it, and tweaking the oils until I get a smell that we can all live with.